The struggling Chicago Cubs are hoping to turn their season around in the final 2-plus months of the season, but they have gotten some disappointing injury news that will impact manager Craig Counsell's pitching staff.
The Cubs placed pitcher Hayden Wesneski on the 15-day injured list prior to their Saturday night game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wesneski has a strained right forearm, and the Cubs have called up pitcher Hunter Bigge from the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
In addition to Wesneski's status, fellow Cubs pitcher Luke Little has been diagnosed with a left lat strain. According to Counsell, this injury is likely to end Little's season.
These kind of injuries are likely to impact the Cubs' pitching depth in general and the bullpen in particular.
The 47-52 Cubs are in last place in the National League Central, and they have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. They come into Saturday night's game 3.5 games behind the New York Mets for the last Wild Card spot in the National League.
While a hot streak could allow them to make up some ground, there are six teams between the Cubs and the last playoff spot. That would seemingly make it very difficult for Counsell's team to catch up.
Wesneski has been very active for Cubs to this point in the season
Wesneski has worked as a starter and out of the bullpen to this point in the year. He has pitched in 25 games and has started 7 times. He has a 3-6 record along with a 3.94 earned run average. He has struck out 58 batters and walked 21 in 61.2 innings.
This is Wesneski's third season with the Cubs. He appeared in a career-high 34 games last season while compiling a 4.63 ERA.
The left-handed Little has appeared in 30 games for the Cubs this season. He has come out of the bullpen in 29 of those games. Little has a 3-1 record this season with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.269 WHIP. He has fanned 28 batters and walked 18 in 26.0 innings.
Bigge was called up earlier in the season and he pitched 2.1 innings and gave up 1 run, 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 3 batters in 3 appearances. He had been sent to Iowa last Sunday. In most cases, he would have to wait 15 days before the team could call him up again. However, the Cubs have been able to get around that limitation because of Wesneski's injury.
In addition to the moves made by the Cubs today, they also have pitcher Ben Brown on the injured list. He has been on the injured list with a neck strain. He is expected to throw off a mound shortly and he could rejoin the team before the end of this month.
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