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The Cubs were as close to being 100% healthy as a team as it came in a while on Saturday, when Cole Hamels returned from the injured list, but since then Willson Contreras has gone down with a hamstring strain and now a reliever will reportedly go on the injured list as well.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported on Monday that right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. will be called up before the Cubs start their three-game series against the A’s at Wrigley Field. For now, the corresponding move isn’t known, but maybe it’ll be a right-handed reliever going on the injured list.
If I had to guess I’d say that it’s going to be Tyler Chatwood. He pitched three innings on Sunday, so he won’t be available for a few days anyway and he was also dealing with an illness.
Underwood was called up last week after Pedro Strop went on the injured list, but he didn’t pitch in St. Louis and was sent back to Triple-A Iowa to make room for David Phelps.
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The 25-year-old pitcher made 10 starts for the Iowa Cubs this season and struggled, but since jumping to the bullpen he’s been pretty damn good. In 19 appearances as a reliever, Underwood has a 2.83 ERA, striking out 36 batters in 28.2 innings.
Underwood made his MLB debut in 2018, pitching against the Dodgers in LA. He gave up just one run on two hits in four innings of work. That’s been his only MLB outing so far in his career.
….ugh…so it might actually Craig Kimbrel going on the injured list.
