2:35pm: The Cubs have introduced the Happ/Ballesteros swap in addition to Hodge touchdown on the IL. Proper-hander Ethan Roberts has been recalled because the corresponding transfer for Hodge.
10:28am: The Cubs are welcoming Ian Happ again from the injured checklist for tonight’s sport in Miami, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer tells the Mully & Haugh Present on 670 The Rating. Rookie Moisés Ballesteros can be optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
That’s not the one forthcoming roster transfer. Supervisor Craig Counsell advised Maddie Lee of The Chicago Solar-Instances final night time that Porter Hodge is heading to the 15-day IL with a left indirect harm. They might recall somebody from Triple-A this afternoon to take Hodge’s bullpen spot, although it’s potential they’ll activate Ryan Brasier from his personal IL stint as an alternative.
The Happ/Ballesteros swap is a reversal of final week’s roster transfer. Chicago positioned the veteran outfielder on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Could 10, with a left indirect pressure. That was evidently very delicate, as he’s again after a minimal stint regardless of the tendency for a lot of indirect strains to linger for weeks. Ballesteros was referred to as up for the primary time. Hoyer mentioned this morning that Ballesteros was conscious on the time that it’d be a quick promotion regardless of how nicely he performed, because the Cubs at all times meant to ship him again down as soon as Happ returned from what they anticipated to be a minimal IL stint.
Ballesteros, 21, was raking at .368/.420/.522 clip over 34 video games in Iowa. He’s a profession .288/.371/.459 minor league hitter regardless of persistently being one of many youngest gamers at every degree at which he’s appeared. He didn’t produce a lot in his first have a look at MLB pitching, going 3-16 with a pair of walks over 5 video games. He hit a run-scoring single off the White Sox’s Yoendrys Gómez for his first large league hit on Friday and had his first multi-hit effort in final night time’s loss to the Marlins.
The Cubs used Ballesteros strictly as a delegated hitter over the previous week. He’s a sophisticated offensive participant however must proceed growing as a catcher in Iowa. Happ’s return to the lineup will push Seiya Suzuki again to DH from left discipline. Happ will presumably slot again on the prime of the batting order. He’s hitting .269/.364/.381 by 187 plate appearances.
Hodge, 24, has been Counsell’s most frequent selection in high-leverage conditions. He has allowed a 5.12 ERA by 19 1/3 innings. His 22.6% strikeout fee is method down from final yr’s wonderful 31.7% mark. It’s not particularly sturdy manufacturing general, although the lackluster ERA is generally attributable to at least one six-run blowup by the hands of the Diamondbacks a month in the past. He has allowed three earned runs in 9 2/3 frames since that look, albeit with six strikeouts and walks apiece.
Ryan Pressly entered the season because the Cubs nearer. He has not pitched nicely and has not recorded a save since April 13. Hodge had been main one thing of a committee strategy to the ninth inning. Daniel Palencia has stepped up as certainly one of Counsell’s extra trusted late-game arms. The Cubs referred to as on him for what would’ve been his first save of the season final night time. He entered the ninth inning with a 7-6 lead and shortly recorded the primary two outs earlier than permitting a double, a stroll, and a two-run walk-off triple to Jesús Sánchez.