Cubs Injury Updates: Gomes, Hendricks, Heuer, Hughes

Before this afternoon’s game, there are a number of Cubs injury updates to get to …

Yan Gomes

As exciting as it is to have Miguel Amaya up (and starting again today!), the Cubs are clearly their best selves this year when they have Gomes catching as often as possible. Currently on the 7-day concussion IL, the good news is that Gomes seems to be improving.

Per Marquee and others, Gomes is beginning conditioning work and reintroducing some baseball activities starting today. With concussions, you do not mess around. So you have to introduce physical activity very deliberately and evaluate constantly along the way. I would not call it a sure thing that Gomes will be ready to return when eligible on May 9, but this is a good start. Hopefully he feels good afterward.

Kyle Hendricks

Kyle Hendricks’ second rehab outing this week didn’t go as hoped, though one home run was technically the extent of the damage (it’s just that it was a grand slam … ). Hendricks has come back to the big league team to work with the staff and make sure he’s looking good mechanically.

Kyle Hendricks came out of his second rehab start yesterday feeling good, no issues with his shoulder.

The plan is for him to join the team in Chicago so he can throw a bullpen and work on some mechanical stuff/tweak a couple things, per Ross.

— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) May 4, 2023

Kyle Hendricks will meet the team in Chicago for a bullpen session to work through “mechanical cues,” Cubs manager David Ross said, and “see how we can tweak a couple things.” In two Triple-A rehab starts, Hendricks gave up 10 runs in 4.1 IP. Ross: “No issues with the shoulder.”

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) May 4, 2023

After his time with the big league team, Hendricks is expected to head back to Iowa for another start on Tuesday:

The lone member left from the 2016 Cubs is close to returning. Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) has another rehab start scheduled for Tuesday. He hasn’t pitched in an MLB game since last July. pic.twitter.com/x7Smi7Z3WL

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) May 5, 2023

Codi Heuer

Having pitched so cleanly in Arizona in extended Spring Training games, it’s time for Heuer to head out on a minor league rehab stint as he finishes up his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He’ll pitch an inning for Iowa tomorrow (Maddie Lee).

Because he’s on the 60-day IL, Heuer is not eligible to return until the very end of this month. That said, with him starting a rehab assignment at Iowa tomorrow, it looks like – if it goes well and he stays healthy and productive – Heuer could be activated as soon this stint is up. He’s got almost a month to ramp up at Iowa.

Brandon Hughes

The lefty is on the IL until at least at least May 11 (15-day minimum stint), and we’ll see if his knee inflammation will require some rehab from there. He is playing catch and building up.