The struggling Chicago Cubs made some roster changes before their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Infielder Nick Madrigal was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to September 17 due to a right hamstring strain. This comes after he missed a significant portion of July with a similar injury. Cubs manager David Ross expressed concern about the severity of Madrigal’s injury, stating that it is worse than expected. There is no specific timeline for his return.
The Cubs, who currently have a record of 78-72, entered Tuesday’s game on a five-game losing streak. They are effectively tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the NL Wild Card spot for the third time. With only 12 games left in the season, the Cubs need to turn things around quickly. They had a successful stretch in early September, winning 12 games in a row, but have struggled since then, going 2-8.
To fill the void left by Madrigal, the Cubs recalled infielder Jared Young from Triple-A Iowa. Young had a solid season in Iowa, batting .310 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs in 90 games. He had previously appeared in 13 games with the Cubs this season, batting .171 with one home run and five RBIs.
In addition to Madrigal’s injury, the Cubs have other players dealing with injuries. Infielder Jeimer Candelario is out with a lower back strain, closer Adbert Alzolay has a right forearm strain, and right-handed relief pitcher Michael Fulmer is also dealing with a right forearm strain. These injuries have added to the team’s struggles and further highlights the need for the Cubs to find some consistency and get back on track.