Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.
Cubs fans can only hope that these moves matter in September and hopefully don’t look back and see that it was a week too late, but the team has optioned Carl Edwards Jr. to Iowa, while placing lefty Mike Montgomery on the injured list.
Edwards had a few arm injuries in 2018 and by the end of the season he had no confidence left on the mound. An offseason devoted to a new delivery ended up being a waste of time, as MLB determined his Kenley Jansen inspired delivery was illegal right before Opening Day.
Edwards made four appearances before getting demoted. He only threw 1.2 innings, walking five and allowing two home runs and six earned runs.
Right-hander Allen Webster is taking Edwards’ spot in the bullpen.
Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.
Source says Allen Webster is coming up for Carl Edwards, Jr. Kyle Ryan makes sense for Montgomery (@ESPNChiCubs is reporting he's headed for IL) but haven't heard that for sure.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) April 6, 2019
Webster, 29, used to be a top-100 prospect when he was coming up in the Dodgers organization. As a matter of fact, the Cubs were in trade talks with the Dodgers involving Ryan Dempster back in 2012 and Webster would have been in the deal. At the end, Dempster was traded to the Rangers with Kyle Hendricks as the big piece in return. Not bad.
Anyway, Webster has seen limited time in the majors from 2013-15, making 28 appearances during those three seasons with the Red Sox and Diamondbacks. He briefly came up at the end of 2018 with the Cubs and pitched in three games. Webster throws in the upper 90s, which makes him unique in the Cubs bullpen that doesn’t feature pitchers who can really light up the radar gun.
In spring training, Webster pitched in nine games and recorded a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. He struck out 11 and walked 3, giving up five hits and two runs. Last year in the minors, Webster struck out 24 and walked only 3 in 17 innings. He pitched a scoreless inning with the Iowa Cubs on Thursday, striking out one and giving up a hit, while throwing only 12 pitches, eight for strikes.
Meanwhile, it seems like Montgomery has been declining ever since he got the final out of the 2016 World Series. His bullpen woes from 2018 continued in the first week of this season, as Montgomery surrendered two home runs and eight hits in 2.2 innings before the Cubs moved him to the IL on Saturday.
Montgomery was slowed down during spring training because of shoulder stiffness, but the new injury is in his lat.
Montgomery says the lat issue is separate from the injury early in spring. Has calmed down some last couple days. Plans to play light catch Sunday, and hopes IL stint is only 10 days.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) April 6, 2019
Kyle Ryan is taking Montgomery’s spot in the bullpen.
And Mike Montgomery to the IL with a left lat strain. Cubs hope he won't miss much more than the minimum.
So Cubs have 2 new members in the bullpen.
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) April 6, 2019
The left-hander had a 2.86 ERA in 66 innings at Triple-A in 2018. He made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2014, and has a career 3.87 ERA in the majors. Ryan was really good in 2016, throwing 55.2 innings and recording a 3.07 ERA.
The #Cubs today announced the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/ZOAi80VSYl
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 6, 2019
So, the Cubs have two new relievers. Let’s hope they can stabilize the bullpen because despite the awful starting pitching and some horrible defense, the Cubs offense has been stepping up and so far their effort has been wasted.
