Chicago Cubs' Lester runs into stint on injured list
The Chicago Cubs made it official Wednesday, placing ace left-hander Jon Lester on the 10-day injured list and recalling left-handed pitcher Tim Collins from Class AAA Iowa.
Lester will miss at least this coming Sunday's start against the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs say Lester has a strained left hamstring, an injury he suffered while running the bases in Monday's home-opening 10-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. Lester doubled and scored in the bottom of the second inning. He came out of the game after facing two batters in the top of the third.
Manager Joe Maddon said right-hander Tyler Chatwood will start Sunday in place of Lester.
"We're just going to play this as we go along," Maddon said. "We're not going to create a finish line. Jon's a pretty tough individual, and we're just going to keep it open. As he progresses, we'll try to create the finish line. Of course he's going to miss this next start. But beyond that we're going to keep an open mind."
The 35-year-old Lester made 32 starts in each of his first four seasons with the Cubs, and he had 2 of the team's 3 quality starts entering Wednesday.
"He's the picture-perfect guy for us," pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. "He sets up the image that we want to have as a staff. He's been that guy that we've always looked to. He goes out and sets the example for us. It's unfortunate having him go down for a couple (starts) here, but we hope it's just quick and we can get him back and rolling again."
The new guy:
Tim Collins is a 29-year-old lefty who pitched for the Kansas City Royals from 2011-14 and with the Washington Nationals in 38 games last year. He signed a major-league contract with the Cubs last month and made 3 relief outings with Iowa, with no record and a 3.38 ERA (1 earned run in 2⅔ innings).
He underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow in 2015 and 2016. For his career, he is 12-17 with a 3.62 ERA in 266 games.
This and that:
The Cubs entered Wednesday as the first team since the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals to score 10 or more runs five times in its first 10 games and just the fourth team to do so since 1900, according to STATS Inc. … The Cubs had four pitchers toss 2 scoreless innings Monday: Jon Lester, Brad Brach, Brandon Kintzler and Randy Rosario. That's the first time in franchise history the club has done that in a nine-inning game.