During his morning session with the media Sunday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that injured right-hander Edward Cabrera had thrown earlier in the day and that Counsell would check in after the session.
Obviously, the news wasn’t good.
The Cubs put Cabrera on the 15-day injured list with a right middle-finger blister, retroactive to Thursday. They also called up left-hander Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa.
Cabrera left his last start Wednesday with the injury after throwing three-plus innings against in the Cubs’ 5-0 loss to the Brewers. He threw one pitch in the fourth inning, a fastball that sailed and lacked his usual velocity, prompting Counsell to pull him.
The Cubs’ rotation is already short-staffed, with Matthew Boyd (left knee) on the 15-day IL, Justin Steele (left elbow) shut down and Cade Horton (right forearm) out for the season. In 10 starts (54 innings), Cabrera is 3-2 with a 4.00 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 20 walks with a .262 opponent batting average.
In seven starts (26 1/3 innings) with Iowa, Wicks has a 4.44 ERA, 20 strikeouts and 12 walks with a .282 opponent batting average. That includes five rehab appearances. Wicks began the season on the injured list with inflammation in his left elbow and was reinstated and optioned to Triple-A on May 15.
In his last three games (15 innings), Wicks has allowed one run with 12 strikeouts.