May 8: RHP Marcus Stroman placed on injured list; 1B Frank Schwindel optioned to Triple-A Iowa; RHP Adrian Sampson selected from Triple-A Iowa
Stroman, who was scheduled to start Sunday night’s primetime game, was placed on the injured list with no injury designation. Justin Steele will start in his stead against the Dodgers. Last year’s rookie sensation Schwindel had scuffled to a .558 OPS with two homers and nine RBIs in 25 games this year.
May 7: 3B Patrick Wisdom exits with left ankle contusion
Wisdom left Game 2 of the Cubs’ doubleheader against the Dodgers with a left ankle injury, but X-rays came back negative for any structural damage, per the team. Wisdom left after wincing throughout an at-bat that ended with a strikeout in the sixth inning. He fouled a pitch off the ankle during Game 1 of the twin bill. Through 25 games this season, Wisdom has hit .226 with five homers, 15 RBIs and a .771 OPS for Chicago. — Jordan Bastian
May 7: LHP Drew Smyly reinstated from bereavement list as ’27th man’ for doubleheader
Smyly will start Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field. — Jordan Bastian
LHP Wade Miley (left elbow inflammation)
Expected return: May
Miley logged four shutout innings for Triple-A Iowa on May 5 in his first Minor League rehab start since the elbow injury that flared during Spring Training. The veteran lefty threw 41 pitches (28 strikes), struck out three, gave up two hits and issued zero walks in a road outing against St. Paul. Miley’s next step will be a bullpen session on May 8 — after which the Cubs will determine the next step for the veteran lefty.
“I was happy with being able to get through four innings,” said Miley, who also simulated a fifth inning in the bullpen after his start. “Five up-downs was great. I actually feel pretty good coming out of that, so I’m excited.”– Jordan Bastian (Last updated: May 7)
SS Andrelton Simmons (right shoulder)
Expected return: Late May or June
Simmons was scheduled to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on May 7, serving as the shortstop. The current plan calls for the veteran to get at-bats as a designated hitter with Iowa on May 8 before taking an off-day on May 9. After that, Simmons will continue to build up at-bats and innings with Iowa before joining the Cubs. Simmons first dealt with shoulder inflammation during the offseason and landed on the IL after the problem persisted throughout Spring Training. — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: May 7)
RHP Alec Mills (lower back strain)
Expected return: Late May or June
Mills has resumed playing catch as part of his throwing program and is slated to get back on a mound within the next few days, per the Cubs on May 7. The timing of his return to a Minor League rehab assignment remains to be determined. While rehabbing from a lower back strain, Mills experienced right quad tightness on April 26, stalling plans for his next start. The right-hander logged 62 pitches in three innings in a rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on April 23. — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: May 7)
RHP Ethan Roberts (right shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: TBD
As part of active rosters being reduced to 26 players, the Cubs placed Roberts on the IL due to a right shoulder issue on May 1 (retroactive to April 30). In his most recent appearance out of the bullpen, the righty averaged 91.4 mph on his cut fastball, which was down two mph from his previous outing. Through nine games, the rookie reliever has an 8.22 ERA with nine strikeouts and six walks in 7 2/3 innings in his first taste of the big leagues. Roberts was scheduled to be evaluated by a team doctor on May 3. The righty noted that he tried to pitch through some soreness for his past few outings, but the issue did not go away.
“We’ve brought him along slowly and put him in some leverage spots and some non-leverage spots,” Cubs manager David Ross said on May 3. “His first back-to-back, he didn’t come out of it as good as we would’ve liked. Maybe that’s some wear and tear. Maybe that’s just getting used to that spot. I’m not a doctor. I can’t diagnose all that. But, I don’t think it’s anything that we’re super alarmed about. We just need to calm down some of that inflammation.” — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: May 3)
OF Clint Frazier (appendicitis)
Expected return: TBD
Frazier was in the clubhouse with his teammates at Wrigley Field on May 3, planning to ride a stationary bike as he begins light activity in his recovery from an appendectomy on April 22. Frazier joked that he told manager David Ross that he was available to hit, but reality is that the outfielder’s return likely remains at least a few weeks away. He last played on April 19 before landing on the 10-day IL (retroactive to April 20) due to appendicitis. Frazier said he was fortunate to head to the hospital when he did, because his appendix could have ruptured.
“I don’t know how to put it lightly. This definitely sucks,” Frazier said. “The season’s so long as it is, so it’s comforting a little bit to know, ‘All right, I’m going to have some time.’ But I definitely didn’t expect to get my appendix removed two weeks into the season, you know? It definitely throws a wrench into the little bit of momentum that I felt like I was starting to get. — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: May 3)
INF David Bote (left shoulder surgery)
Expected return: TBD
Bote was with the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 4, going through infield drills and running through a pregame workout with the club. The utility man could be on target for a Minor League rehab assignment at some point this month. Bote underwent a shoulder procedure in October, and the Cubs initially estimated a rehab period of at least six months. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on March 19 and said then that the two-month stay on the shelf should cover the time required for rehab and games buildup. — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: May 4)
RHP Adbert Alzolay (right elbow tightness)
Expected return: TBD
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer noted at the start of Spring Training that Alzolay sustained a right lat/shoulder injury. The righty was hoping to compete for a rotation spot this spring, but will begin the season on the 60-day IL. Last season, Alzolay posted a 4.58 ERA with 128 strikeouts and 34 walks in 125 2/3 innings between 29 appearances (21 starts). — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: March 18)
LHP Brad Wieck (left elbow strain)
Expected return: TBD
The Cubs placed Wieck on the injured list on March 17 due to a left elbow strain, which flared during a bullpen session earlier in the week, according to the team. That is a blow to Chicago’s bullpen, which hoped to have Wieck available as a possible setup option this season. Last year, Wieck had a 0.00 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 17 innings before a heart issue ended his season prematurely. — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: March 17)
OF Codi Heuer (right elbow surgery)
Expected return: 2023
Heuer had Tommy John surgery on March 7 and will miss the entire 2022 campaign. The righty was one of the players acquired from the White Sox before last year’s Trade Deadline in the deal that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the South Side. In 65 games last year, Heuer had a 4.28 overall ERA, including a 3.14 ERA in 25 appearances down the stretch for the Cubs. His fastball velocity did drop to 95.9 mph on average in ’21, compared to 97.6 mph in ’20, per Statcast.
“He’s going to be a huge part of what we want to do here in the future, and he knows that,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. “It’s just reassuring that, ‘Look, a lot of us have been through it.’ There’s a lot of people that he can lean on through this process. He’s got a bright future. Bump in the road. He’ll keep working. And hopefully be good as new.” — Jordan Bastian (Last updated: March 14)