Cubs activate Kyle Hendricks to start Tuesday, recall LHP Randy Rosario for bullpen
Pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay was optioned to AAA Iowa as expected Tuesday to clear a roster spot, the day after a poor start in Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH — The Cubs swapped out starting pitchers on the roster and added help to a wheezing bullpen Tuesday before their game against the Pirates at PNC Park.
Kyle Hendricks was activated as scheduled to start Tuesday, after spending two weeks on the injured list because of shoulder inflammation that flared during his June 14 start in Los Angeles.
He skipped an originally planned minor-league rehab start after faring well enough in recent bullpen sessions to suggest he was ready to help cover the spot this week vacated by Cole Hamels’ left oblique injury, suffered Friday in Cincinnati.
As expected, rookie Adbert Alzolay was optioned to Class AAA Iowa to make room on the roster. That move was planned even before Alzolay’s poor performance in Monday’s start against the Pirates (10 hits, seven runs in 2 2⁄3 innings).
In addition, the Cubs optioned reliever Rowan Wick back to Iowa and recalled left-hander Randy Rosario to provide a heavily taxed bullpen a fresh arm with three games left before the next off day and five before the All-Star break.
The club also said Tuesday that the MRI Hamels underwent Monday showed “encouraging” results involving the severity of his injury.
But team officials say they’ll have Hamels continue treatment for the next week before trying to estimate a timeline for his return.
He had what appeared to be a more severe oblique on his right side in 2017 and missed two months before returning, by his estimate, earlier than he should have.