PHILADELPHIA – When reliever Enoli Paredes was claimed by the Cubs, he said his Brewers teammates gave positive reviews about his new manager, longtime Milweaukee skipper Craig Counsell.
“All the things that I heard were good things,” Paredes said. “All the guys that were there [with him] – Freddy Peralta, Willy Adames – they were like, ‘Hey, congrats. You’re going to be in good hands with this guy. He’s one of the best.’”
The Cubs continue to tweak their bullpen in the final week of the season. On Tuesday, they added Paredes, who they claimed off waivers from the Brewers the day before, to the active roster.
To make room for him, they optioned right-hander Gavin Hollowell, who made his Cubs debut Monday. With the Triple-A season over, Hollowell is headed to the Cubs’ Arizona complex for continuation camp.
“Gavin Hollowell did a really nice job,” Counsell said after Hollowell threw 1 ⅓ scoreless innings against the Phillies in a 6-2 loss Monday. “That was a good outing. He pitched very well, and that was good to see him get out of a little bit of a jam with some really good hitters.”
Paredes posted a 1.74 ERA with the Brewers in 17 appearances on either side of a 60-day IL stint with a forearm injury.
The Brewers designated him for assignment last week to recall reliever Kevin Herget. Paredes was out of minor-league options.
“That caught me by surprise,” Paredes said. “But that’s the business, and you have to be ready for things that you cannot control. … I feel happy that I get the opportunity to come to the Cubs. [Chicago] was one hour from Milwaukee, so it wasn’t a big deal to move everything there. And when I had a day off, that was the place that I was visiting. My family loved to be in Chicago.”
Milwaukee’s special stuff
The Brewers defied preseason expectations by running away with the National League Central division this year.
“The energy,” Paredes said of the key to Milwaukee’s success. “They have a lot of young guys [who are] hungry, and they just go out there and have fun. They don’t feel the pressure.”
He said that energy was one of his biggest takeaways from his season with the club.
Busch and Suzuki exit
First baseman Michael Busch exited the game Tuesday before the bottom half of the second inning with bruised right triceps, according to the team. He was hit by a pitch above his elbow in the top half of the inning. He remained in the game as a baserunner. But during a Phillies pitching change, Busch used the break to check in with an athletic trainer and briefly disappear into the dugout.
Designated hitter Seiya Suzuki then left after the sixth with a sprained right ankle that he turned running the bases.
“I do feel a little bit,” Suzuki said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry after the game, “but think if I get one night of sleep, it should be good.”
He stopped short of promising to be back in the lineup Wednesday and wondered aloud if the injury could be related to an old ankle surgery. He will be evaluated before the series finale.
Happ is back
Left fielder Ian Happ returned to the lineup Tuesday, after lower back tightness sidelined him for two games. He slid back into the leadoff spot.