Ghosted: As trade deadline approaches, Cubs offense vanishes
There's a huge problem in MLB that needs to be fixed immediately. Four extra-inning games by the Chicago teams the past two days only exacerbated the issue.
The player sent to second base to start the 10th inning should never be called a “ghost runner.”
A ghost runner is an apparition, something that's not there. The term comes from typical neighborhood games with a limited number of players. Inevitably, someone on second base would be up to bat next, so you'd say, “Ghost runner on second,” and go hit. You could theoretically drive yourself home.
Speaking of things that aren't there, the Cubs offense disappeared in Friday's return to Wrigley Field. They outhit the Yankees 5-4 but had trouble connecting against starter Will Warren and lost 2-0.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga threw a solid 6⅔ innings but gave up solo home runs to Amed Rosario and Spencer Jones to account for all the scoring.
A more realistic use of the term ghost would be saying the Cubs are trying to account for their ghost pitching staff as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
The Cubs are loaded with injured pitchers who have a chance to come back before the end of the season. Closer Daniel Palencia could go on a rehab assignment within the week. Starter Edward Cabrera was expected to pitch for Iowa Friday. Hoby Milner and Ethan Roberts have already been throwing in Iowa.
Ben Brown and Phil Maton are a bit further away from returning. Gavin Hollowell went on the IL Friday and will miss at least two weeks. Then there's longer shots like Justin Steele, Hunter Harvey and Shelby Miller, but all three have been declared legitimate possibilities to pitch before the season ends.
Jordan Wicks and top prospect Jaxon Wiggins could join the list, but neither is having much success in Triple-A right now.
That makes 10 ghost pitchers, and three days until the MLB trade deadline arrives at 5 p.m. Monday.
“Guys in this room have been through it enough that you just let it all happen and whoever's on the roster Aug. 3, we'll see,” Ian Happ said of dealing with the deadline. “It's part of the game every year and I think this group's really good at focusing on one day at a time and the task ahead of us, which is two big series at home.”
The Cubs figure to be aggressive while trying to add pitching this weekend, but Jed Hoyer better be ready to spend. An ideal scenario for the Cubs would be to land a starter who can help now, and carry over into next season, since there will be openings in the rotation.
Here's some advice for Hoyer: Unless the Cubs are serious about re-signing Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal after the season, don't bother talking trade. Hoyer has been reluctant to hand a giant contract to a pitcher, but maybe Skubal is the exception.
Some potential drawbacks are that a lockout could be coming, a salary cap is conceivable and Skubal's agent, Scott Boras, will likely use the dreaded phrase, “We want to see what the Dodgers offer in free agency.”
The Brewers are better candidates to go all-in on a rental, since Baseball America rated their farm system No. 1 in baseball. The Cubs are way down on the list and will struggle to put together a blockbuster offer.
A better trade target might be San Francisco's Robbie Ray, a left-hander with a 1.09 ERA in his last eight starts. Mets righty Clay Holmes (2.39 ERA) is another intriguing candidate, though he hasn't pitched since May 15, when a line drive broke his leg. He's expected back in late August.
The Cubs and White Sox should aim higher than Mets righty Freddy Peralta, whose ERA is 5.89 over the past month. Seattle's Emerson Hancock, along with Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers from the Angels, have been mentioned in rumors, but would be expensive if they are moved. Toronto's Kevin Gausman (4.51 ERA) would be easier to acquire.
Warren doesn't have gaudy stats or throw especially hard, with a fastball that averaged 93.0 mph Friday. But he mixed a variety of downward-breaking pitches, rarely got behind hitters and issued no walks.
Warren finally departed in the seventh after giving up two-out singles to Alex Bregman and Happ. Nico Hoerner followed with a slow grounder to short, Happ was originally called safe on the attempted force at second, but it was reversed by replay, and that ended the Cubs' best threat.
“He filled up the zone, changed speeds,” Happ said of Warren. “He was throwing his off-speed stuff for a strike. That was their scouting report today: Throw the off-speed, especially to lefties; did a good job of throwing the fastball with two strikes and kind of saving it until then.”