Nick Madrigal turns a double play against the Cardinals earlier this month in St. Louis.
AP Photos
There’s still time for Nick Madrigal to make something of his first full Cubs season. And as 2022 winds down, monitoring his progress is one of the Cubs’ pressing tasks.
“One of the top priorities is [getting] to see him as much as possible and also keep him healthy,” Cubs manager David Ross said.
Acquired from the White Sox last year along with Codi Heuer for Craig Kimbrel, Madrigal was expected to provide a contact-first plate approach and form a double-play combination with Nico Hoerner. Yet Sunday was just Madrigal’s 35th game of the year, a season that saw him spend almost two months on the injured list with a left groin strain.
That absence, combined with the time he lost in 2021 after tearing up his hamstring with the Sox, has cost Madrigal valuable experience and development. Ross, however, thought Madrigal could take something from his time being injured.
“The adversity you go through when you get hurt also can be a learning experience and help you in the longevity of your career,” Ross said. “Ideally, you’re out there playing every single day and getting better. That wasn’t his path; sometimes in that environment of rehabbing you get stronger, you get more mobile, more flexible, whatever the detail is you want to attack in that process can be beneficial.”
Madrigal led off and played second base in place of Christopher Morel, who is day-to-day after suffering right hamstring tightness Saturday. Ross assumed Morel would be available off the bench in Sunday’s series finale.
Starting strong
Nobody can say whether the Cubs’ season would’ve turned out differently if their starting pitching had stayed intact. Ross implied that thought has crossed his mind.
“I think the main thing I want to say is I wish they were healthy all year,” Ross quipped. “This is what we knew we were missing. These guys are really good major-league pitchers. It’s nice to have them back.”
Entering Adrian Sampson’s outing Sunday, Cubs starters had posted a 2.85 ERA since July 16. That run includes seven quality starts over 17 games, following a 29-game stretch that saw the Cubs put up six quality starts.
The staff could get more help somewhat soon, as Wade Miley (left shoulder strain) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday.
Who’s the closer?
With David Robertson gone, the Cubs have a vacancy at closer. Ross said he’d mix and match in the ninth, but singled out the pitchers with the most trust as Rowan Wick, Brandon Hughes and Steven Brault.
“I don’t think it’s out of character to say [Wick] will be in the back end of things,” Ross said.
Behind the plate
Willson Contreras was slotted in as the designated hitter Sunday and has only caught once this month. Ross said Contreras is fine physically, and he was going to catch Sunday before Morel’s injury forced the Cubs manager to shuffle the lineup.
Ross said Contreras will catch Monday against the Nationals.
Minor honors
Double-A Tennessee outfielder Alexander Canario was named the Cubs’ minor league player of the month for July. Single-A Myrtle Beach’s Luke Little was named the minor league pitcher of the month.
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