As the Chicago Cubs kicked off their first series in July against the best team in the majors, pitching help is on its way.
Right-handers Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture), Ben Brown (neck) and Javier Assad (right forearm strain) and left-hander Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain) are trending toward returning after the All-Star break, which ends July 18, with varying days within that time frame.
Right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. (right forearm strain) could be back shortly before then, while Yency Almonte was getting a second opinion on his right shoulder Tuesday. Right-hander Adbert Alzolay (flexor tendon strain) isn’t on track to be back until the end of July at the earliest.
As the Cubs try to get rolling ahead of the July 30 trade deadline, a potential boost awaits with that group on the verge of helping the pitching staff.
“It’s a meaningful group that we were counting on for major innings,” manager Craig Counsell said before Tuesday’s series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. “Getting that group back — we’ve got to get to that point and we’ve got to do something to that point and we’ve got to stay healthy to that point. But that’s a significant group coming back in a fairly short period of time.”
Merryweather threw live batting practice Tuesday afternoon at Wrigley, his first time reaching that progression. He will spend the week with the team, both to get the big-league staff’s eyes on him and to break up the monotony of rehabbing in Arizona.
“We’re staying right on schedule,” Merryweather said. “Obviously feel for the team and guys are going through stuff. We’re always in contact talking to guys. We lean on each other a lot. I lean on them, they lean on me. So it’s good to have that kind of teammate connection for sure.”
