Chicago Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell had been on the lookout for a possibility to present middle fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong a day without work from being within the lineup.
Crow-Armstrong’s 135 video games performed coming into Tuesday tied him with shortstop Dansby Swanson for many by a Cub this yr. After enjoying an necessary position defensively and offensively in Monday’s comeback win towards the Atlanta Braves, Crow-Armstrong wasn’t within the lineup Tuesday with Atlanta beginning lefty Joey Wentz.
Counsell as a substitute opted for the right-handed hitting Kevin Alcántara, who was known as up Monday and offers the Cubs a viable center-field backup choice for Crow-Armstrong. The 23-year-old Alcántara earned a late September call-up final yr, showing in three video games and amassing one hit in 10 at-bats.
When evaluating the Cubs’ upcoming schedule, Counsell felt this was day to present Crow-Armstrong a day on the bench.
“Look, Pete’s been on the market a complete bunch and it’s due to his protection, he’s so helpful on protection, it doesn’t matter what’s occurring on the plate,” Counsell mentioned Tuesday. “And so for that cause, he’s had only a few off days.”
Crow-Armstrong, 23, has been grinding as he tries to recapture the first-half magic that earned him an All-Star Recreation begin. Over his final 28 video games, Crow-Armstrong has posted a .158/.214/.218 slash line with three doubles and one residence run in 113 plate appearances.
“He’s not been swinging the bat that effectively, I imply, that’s not a secret to anyone,” Counsell mentioned. “So, I feel that’s only a participant within the second determining ‘what’s one of the simplest ways for me to make one thing good occur right here in that state of affairs?’ That’s what he thought (bunting with two strikes Monday).”
How Carlos Santana’s enjoying time will match
What position Carlos Santana could have within the lineup continues to be being discovered.
Counsell has been platooning Michael Busch in most begins towards lefties, choosing Justin Turner, who was within the lineup Tuesday versus Wentz. How that enjoying time divide continues to shake out with Santana now within the fold stays unclear, particularly with the protection he can present at first base.
Counsell famous that the purpose of including Santana was to fortify the Cubs’ roster. He regretted giving an at-bat to Santana within the ninth inning of Monday’s tied sport, calling it unfair to the veteran as a result of he hadn’t performed in a major-league sport in six days following his departure from Cleveland. Counsell plans for Santana to get some baseball work in earlier than placing him within the lineup.
“We’re going to attempt to play what we predict are the perfect lineups, and to do no matter we will to win video games,” Counsell mentioned. “And there are some shut choices type of every single day if you try this, even with the gamers we’ve had all season. In order that’s simply choices we’ll must make every day.”
Michael Soroka is feeling good after stay batting follow
Proper-hander Michael Soroka checked off one other field in his rehab development.
Soroka threw 34 pitches in two innings of stay batting follow Tuesday afternoon at Wrigley Subject. It marked one other encouraging step for Soroka as he works again from the precise shoulder pressure he sustained one month in the past. He’ll possible throw once more Saturday, although the Cubs are nonetheless figuring out what setting that may entail. He might want to go on a rehab project earlier than coming off the injured checklist.
Soroka has been inspired by his velocity displaying an uptick from what he skilled within the month main as much as his shoulder damage.
“It’s thrilling to have it once more,” Soroka mentioned Tuesday. “Holding it’s nearly staying on prime of the issues that we did the final couple weeks, to open up some vary with the shoulder once more and ensure that we’re not pinching what was finally in vary.
“That’s the humorous factor about velocity is you’ll be able to’t essentially at all times really feel what that quantity on the gun is. That’s type of the bizarre half concerning the final month earlier than I got here right here was that it nonetheless felt pretty related. It was simply the speed was considerably gone, and now we’re again on the level the place we’re on the market, and it feels regular, and it’s, it’s again within the mid-90s, and we’re proud of that.”
Reliever Ryan Brasier, who has been out since Aug. 22 with a left groin pressure, additionally threw stay batting follow on Tuesday and can start a rehab project this weekend.
