That’s a daunting first assignment.
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The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies play game two of their series Saturday night. “He’s got plenty of stuff”. (He’s already at 118 2/3 after tossing a combined 104 frames previous year.) However, if Hoffman is in the bigs to stay, he’ll accrue just 44 days of Major League service time, thereby allowing him to reach free agency upon completion of the 2022 season and reach arbitration eligibility upon completion of the 2019 campaign. He can navigate lineups with his stuff alone. We feel like he’s ready for this, physically, mentally and emotionally. “You’ve got to start your career at some point, and his is going to be tomorrow”.
Sudden lack of depth: With Pedro Strop (meniscus tear) and Hector Rondon (triceps soreness) on the disabled list, the Cubs are missing two of their top three relievers. Colorado acquired him as the centerpiece player in last summer’s Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster with Toronto, and since that time he’s only added to his prospect status. In 22 starts he has a 4.02 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 124 strikeouts and 44 walks in 118⅔ innings. Heyward is playing his regular Gold Glove defense, but holds a wRC+ of 68, well below his career-low of 96 (which came in 2011, his second season) and his career average of 112. The last time they did it in extra innings was April 3, 2007, against Arizona in the 11th inning.
Weiss said he is trying to make sure Hoffman stays the same pitcher he has always been rather than trying to morph into a different hurler. Hendricks is the fourth Cubs starting pitcher in the past 30 years to accomplish this feat, joining Jake Arrieta (29, 2015-16), Mike Morgan (27, 1992) and Frank Castillo (23, 1994-95). “So we lightened the load to try to get out in front of it as opposed to dealing with it here”.
However, Weiss said he would be careful with Hoffman. In that outing, he allowed one hit in five scoreless innings with one walk and nine strikeouts and threw 66 pitches, 46 strikes.
The Rockies have not announced a corresponding roster move yet.
With Hoffman on neither the Rockies’ 25-man nor 40-man roster prior to the weekend, two moves needed to be made to make room for the young right-hander. Either first baseman Mark Reynolds or shortstop Trevor Story are candidates for the 60-day DL.
Montgomery didn’t give up a hit until Nick Hundley’s one-out homer in the fifth made it 7-1. He’s a really good batter against left-handed pitching.
All things considered, Anderson still pitched fairly well, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk in seven innings. After battling colitis for the past month, RHP Chad Qualls has been reinstated from the DL.
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The Chicago Cubs again got a stellar start from Kyle Hendricks, who lowered his ERA to 2.16 but didn’t figure in the decision as the bullpen squandered the lead late to the Colorado Rockies. “They made pitches when they had to and actually gave us a chance to win”. “Although I do feel like Carlos is on his way back and he’s been throwing the ball well in some high-leverage situations”. He has struggled in his first season in Colorado, going 2-0 with a 5.61 ERA.
