The Chicago Cubs designated catcher Tucker Barnhart for project earlier than Saturday’s sport in opposition to the Kansas City Royals at Wrigley Field.
Barnhart, 32, adopted Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini as veteran free-agent signees who couldn’t produce sufficient to rationalize protecting them on the roster for a workforce in rivalry for a playoff spot.
After signing a two-year, $6.5 million deal in December, Barnhart posted a .541 OPS in solely 109 at-bats and was made expendable by the emergence of rookie Miguel Amaya as main backup to Yan Gomes.
“He wants to play and has the right to feel that way,” supervisor David Ross mentioned. “Just feels like there are not going to be a whole lot of at-bats for him down the stretch.”
Miles Mastrobuoni was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Barnhart’s roster spot.
Ross had no replace on the rotation plans for the upcoming three-game sequence in Detroit, the place the Cubs will want a starter Tuesday. Javier Assad took over Marcus Stroman’s spot, however Ross mentioned he would “move some pieces around,” suggesting Assad might go both Monday or Tuesday with probably of Drew Smyly or Hayden Wesneski going the opposite day.
Stroman’s rehab plans are up within the air after his mysterious proper rib damage. Stroman suffered a fractured cartilage within the rib and claimed to do not know of the way it occurred. The Cubs supplied no rationalization both.
Stroman mentioned Friday that he didn’t assume he could be with the workforce a lot throughout his restoration to keep away from being a distraction.
“I’ve never been a big proponent of guys being there that aren’t going to contribute directly and can help the squad,” he mentioned.
Some injured gamers wish to be across the workforce and help them for the sake of camaraderie, however everyone seems to be totally different.
“I love having Marcus around,” Ross mentioned. “I think everybody loves having him around. I haven’t gotten his plan quite yet. I know he’s going to rest.”
Stroman can’t do something for now, which clearly would extend the rehab timeline.
“We’ve got to let it calm down, he’s in some serious pain,” Ross mentioned. “We’ll start to build him up as fast as we can once he feels like he’s symptom-free.”
With six weeks left within the common season, Ross mentioned the Cubs should go on as if Stroman gained’t return whereas hoping he can show in any other case.
“The hope thing and the timeline thing … once guys go on the IL, especially with a serious injury, they’re kind of off the radar until they start throwing bullpens or taking at-bats or swings,” Ross mentioned. “They don’t really get on the radar until they start their rehab assignment, for me.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com