Tyler Chatwood was originally going to be the Cubs starting pitcher on Thursday, but he was a late scratch with neck and back tightness. Sunday, the Cubs announced he is being placed on the injured list. With Jose Quintana still working his way back from his thumb injury and doubleheaders against division rival Cardinals coming on both Monday and Wednesday, the Cubs are now in quite the bind.
Here's how things are lined up with the rotation right now.
Monday: Kyle Hendricks (Game 1); TBD (Game 2)
Tuesday: Yu Darvish
Wednesday: Alec Mills (Game 1); TBD (Game 2)
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Jon Lester
Quintana threw a four-inning simulated game on Sunday, so they aren't going to turn him around and have him go Wednesday on short rest for his 2020 debut. Colin Rea started Saturday and threw 49 pitches. It's possible they do have him go on short rest in one of the games on Wednesday.
Otherwise, bullpen games or dipping into the alternate site for the doubleheaders will be necessary.
Here are some possible options for the first-place Cubs:
- Adbert Alzolay. We don't know how stretched out he is since there isn't much available information from the alternate sites but there really isn't any reason to not stretch him out. He was good in his first two outings last year but completely melted down in his next start. He has great stuff, he just walks too many hitters and probably can't be seen more than twice by the lineup. The good news there is the game would only be seven innings and he'd be following Hendricks, who can probably throw a complete game in the first one.
- Justin Steele is a 25-year-old lefty. He was pretty well roughed up in Double-A last season with a 5.59 ERA in 11 starts, but he has a live arm and strikes guys out. It's a spot start in a seven-inning game following Hendricks. It could work.
- Cory Abbott is the lottery ticket here. The 24-year-old righty had a 3.01 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 146 2/3 innings for Double-A Tennessee last year. If he's been throwing well at the alternate site, he deserves a shot.
- A bullpen game. This doesn't sound enticing when looking at the Cubs' season-long bullpen numbers, but they have pitched to a 3.44 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in August. Most of the damage was inflicted on the Cubs' relievers in the first few games and four of the guys who were torched aren't even on the active roster.
Whatever they choose, the Cubs are in for a rough few days in making roster and pitching decisions thanks to the Chatwood, Quintana injuries and doubleheader circumstances.
