Chicago Cubs: “Concerned” Counsell braces for “rough” time after Cabrera injury

The Chicago Cubs suffered another pitching gut punch Tuesday night. Starter Edward Cabrera was carted off the field after an injury sustained covering first base in the fifth inning of the team’s 9-6 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field.

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As of this writing, the injury is being labeled as a left hamstring/adductor strain. Imaging is scheduled for Wednesday.

Whatever the case, the immediate Cubs response was to put the hard-throwing righty on the IL.

Counsell talks Cabrera injury and state of Cubs pitching

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“It’s gonna be an IL placement,” manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the game. “We’ll have imaging done (Wednesday) and see where that takes us.”

The 28-year-old Cabrera now joins Cade Horton (out for the season after Tommy John surgery) and Jameson Taillon on the injured list, along with Matthew Boyd, who’s expected back from his second IL stint very soon. On Tuesday, Cubs president Jed Hoyer all but ruled out former ace Justin Steele’s return this season from a setback in his recovery from elbow surgery last year. Closer Daniel Palencia is also currently on the shelf, as well as Hunter Harvey, who the Cubs picked up in the offseason as a flame-throwing bullpen asset.

This latest injury to Cabrera, though, could very well be the one that finally leads to the full-on collapse of a pitching staff already stressed and strained from the messy wave of injuries this season. Ben Brown, Colin Rea, and Javier Assad—who were all considered purely rotation depth pieces leading into the season—are already in the rotation. The only apparent option left is to bring Jordan Wicks back to the majors despite his two disastrous starts for the major league Cubs this year and his struggles at Triple-A Iowa.

“Concerned,” Counsell replied when asked about his feeling on the state of the Cubs’ starting pitching. “We’re in a rough spot. I think we can get through it. It’s to the All-Star break, but it’s gonna be a little bit of a puzzle until then.”

Rough times ahead

Counsell is clearly hoping that the team can tread water until Taillon comes back from his own hamstring issues. The veteran right-hander, though, has been touched up all season so far, posting a 5.19 ERA through thirteen starts prior to his injury.

Cabrera was acquired this past offseason in a trade with the Miami Marlins that involved the Cubs’ top prospect at the time, Owen Caissie. He brought with him an extensive history of injury, but also a tremendous potential upside the team believed they could build upon. This year, he has already been on the IL once with blister issues and regarded as day-to-day another time with hand cramps.

As an arm placed in the middle of the rotation—behind Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton and ahead of veterans Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga—the feeling was that he’d have the time and space to develop into his fully actualized self, without feeling pressure to carry too much of a load.

Unfortunately, team injuries never allowed him that comfort and now his own injury threatens to sideline him for a good long while.

Jed Hoyer has acknowledged that trade talks regarding pitching are ongoing, but has also been quick to point out that most trades of the kind the Cubs need won’t happen until much closer to the August 3 trade deadline.

So, for now, the Cubs are stuck with what they have. Boyd will be back in the rotation soon and Brown has been an absolute revelation this year. Assad has also performed well in his role as emergency fill-in.

Those are at least some positives. But, honestly, there’s not much else positive going on when it comes to Cubs pitching.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-edward-cabrera-injury-craig-counsell-starting-rotation/