Madrigal's season over? Cubs place infielder on injured list with hamstring strain
Nick Madrigal went on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain Tuesday, and it sounds like his season could be over.
"Got some imaging, it was worse than expected," manager David Ross said before the game. "I'm not ruling out the postseason stuff. He'll still be working and trying to get back. But same hamstring (as earlier this season), just worse than we thought."
First baseman Jared Young was called up from Iowa to take the roster spot. Patrick Wisdom started Tuesday's game at first base, Christopher Morel played third for just the fourth time this season, while rookie Alexander Canario got his first major-league start at designated hitter.
Ross said there's still optimism about 1B/3B Jeimer Candelario returning from a back injury next week.
"He feels better every single day," Ross said. "There's been no big hurdle. He'll do some activities today and see where he's at."
Injured closer Adbert Alzolay was planning to throw some long toss. He's also eligible to come off the injured list next week.
Regarding the decision to shuffle the pitching rotation, Ross said it was mostly about putting Justin Steele in a spot to get three starts before the end of the regular season. If Game 162 in Milwaukee is meaningful for the Cubs, he'll start that one. If it's not and the Cubs have clinched a postseason spot, he'll be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs.
Steele will start Wednesday and Kyle Hendricks on Thursday. Jameson Taillon was pushed back, but Ross said he'll start against Colorado this weekend.
Hoyer in Japan:
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said he watched his team's frustrating 13-inning loss to Arizona on Saturday while sitting in a stadium in Japan.
"I was in Tokyo," he said. "I was watching on my phone while watching another game. It was not one of my gold-star moments.
"I got on a flight later and I was still sort of staring ahead on the plane to try to think through that game, because there were so many moments in that game that felt like we were about to win and something would happen."
The Cubs are one of many MLB teams scouting Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 25-year-old with an eye-opening curveball and 1.26 ERA this season. Hoyer said he watched several players on the trip, his first to Japan since the pandemic.
"I've planned that trip for a while," he said. "Making sure that's a market we're actively involved in is something that's really important."
PCA meets Wrigley:
Rookie outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who grew up a Cubs fan, was active for his first game at Wrigley Field Tuesday.
"The game is the game," he said. "It's obviously different up here than what I was used to in the minor leagues. It's also something I prepared for mentally, this is the kind of stuff I live for."
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