NEWSLETTER
Some pre-game injury updates to get on your radar, as the Cubs are without a whole lot of players at the moment.
Jordan Bastian with the full rundown:
First, on Alec Mills, oof. I didn’t know his back injury was going to be a surgery situation, so that’s a bummer for him. The entire year has been effectively lost for the 30-year-old who’d been a useful swingman for the Cubs.
Hopefully the recovery process goes smoothly, and he’s able to pitch come Spring Training. He was not likely to retain a 40-man spot through the offseason in any case, and now it’ll be a matter of finding the right minor league deal where he might have a shot to return to the big leagues as a swingman when he’s fully healthy. I could see that being with the Cubs, or I could see him looking for a more wide open opportunity (all depending on health, of course).
On Willson Contreras, it’s a bit of a bummer to learn that he’s only just now doing light agility work, which suggests he’s still a long way off from a return from the ankle injury. As we’ve discussed, it could matter at the margins – for both sides – that he returns healthy and productive before the end of the season. If he can’t return, or is still limited, I do wonder if his whole second half – which featured uncharacteristic struggles at the plate – will be yet another anchor on his free agency (together with the Qualifying Offer). If you are viewed as a bat-first or bat-only catcher in free agency, you really need that bat to project as well as possible.
We discussed Seiya Suzuki earlier. Good to hear there’s no break, though he is sitting today.
We also discussed Keegan Thompson earlier today.
Steven Brault, who could be retained via arbitration if the Cubs wanted, is undoubtedly eager to get back and show himself healthy one last time before the offseason. I don’t see the Cubs tendering him, but another minor league deal is a possibility. There were flashes of a quality lefty reliever there for a guy who’d otherwise never quite gotten over the hump as an average-or-better starter.
Good to hear that Nico Hoerner is hitting and throwing after missing the last few games with the triceps issue. No need to rush him back or risk a serious injury, though, so I’m very find with the Cubs being overly cautious about his return. It’s nice to see Christopher Morel getting some starts at shortstop anyway.
