NEWSLETTER
Yesterday, in an effort to supplement the bullpen for the week, the Chicago Cubs pulled the trigger on optioning Hayden Wesneski to Triple-A Iowa. The 25-year-old righty has shown enough to know that he CAN be a successful big league starter, but also enough to know that there are still things for him to be working on.
That said, the move was more about supplementing the bullpen, as I said. With the Cubs disinclined to move Wesneski into a relief role right now, the swap made sense, especially against the backdrop of Kyle Hendricks’ imminent return.
However, David Ross was quick to caution last night that just because the Cubs had optioned Wesneski, don’t assume Hendricks is coming back this week. With off-days on Thursday and Monday, the Cubs can actually put off having a fifth starter until sometime next week. Options. The Cubs have options.
It sounds like the plan for now, according to the Chicago Tribune, is for Hendricks to join the Cubs this week to throw a bullpen, and then head back to the Iowa Cubs for at least one more rehab start. That would mean, if he’s deemed ready to go thereafter, Hendricks would make his season debut against either the Mets or Reds, at Wrigley Field, next week.
There is no firm commitment yet from the organization, though, and maybe not even a fully-formed plan, given how rapidly things can change.
“Sometimes during the course of the year,” Hoyer said, per the Tribune, “you get into a situation where you’re kind of playing a little bit night to night until you get an off day or until you get a good start when someone finally gives us seven and we can throw a couple of innings out of the bullpen and get a win. That’s when you can sort of reset, but until we can reset … we’ll be going through that a little bit, playing catch-up from the weekend.”
In any case, here’s something to remember: the minimum length of an option stay for a pitcher is 15 days, unless he is being recalled to replace someone going on the Injured List. So if there are no injuries that necessitate it, Wesneski cannot return until May 30 no matter what. Which, in turn, means that, yes, the Cubs are clearly planning on Hendricks making a start before then. The backup plan is probably Javier Assad, but he too is precluded from returning until May 27. (Insert comment about how if the Cubs REALLY got into a bind, they could call up pitching prospect Ben Brown to make a spot start …. )
It’s still possible Hendricks’ next start could, in fact, come with the Cubs, by the way. They’ve changed their mind before in situations like this, as they allow for things to unfold. My guess, though, is that the preference is for Hendricks to make his debut at home, so they’ll get through the Astros and Phillies series with the four primary starters, and an extra reliever in the bullpen.
