Thank you for pitching in last night, Michael Rucker, and right back out he goes.
The Cubs today are bringing back lefty Sean Newcomb from his lengthy rehab assignment at Iowa, and Rucker gets optioned back out:
Michael Rucker was optioned after last night's game. There's a locker for Sean Newcomb here at Yankee Stadium and he's expected to be activated off the IL before today's game.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) June 12, 2022
Newcomb, who turns 29 today, went on the IL a month ago with an ankle sprain, and has been working at Triple-A ever since. You never WANT to see an injury, but given that Newcomb has no minor league options remaining, and the Cubs were in the process of trying to rework him a bit (this is his first new big league organization), it may have been a good thing. Newcomb has huge stuff and huge potential, and I am really excited to see what the Cubs can do with him this year. They just have to navigate that lack of minor league options.
As for Rucker, this is just going to be his role this year as an up-down guy. Outside of the extra-innings implosion last week, he’s been solid. He’ll be back again at some point.
