With Patrick Wisdom happening the 10-day injured record Saturday with a sprained proper wrist, Nick Madrigal is making ready to make constant begins at third base for the Chicago Cubs.
After returning final week from a stint at Triple-A Iowa, Madrigal is keen for any alternatives he will get.
“I was just excited to get back with the guys,” Madrigal stated. “When I received despatched down, I used to be simply attempting to do every little thing I may to get again as quickly as I may. The physique is feeling good proper now and I really feel like my timing has been coming again with extra reps.
“This team has been playing some good baseball. The vibes overall are just unbelievable right now.”
Madrigal, who had performed completely second base in his major-league profession earlier than this season, confirmed off his elevated consolation stage at third Sunday, making a pair of nifty performs in foul territory because the Cubs’ five-game successful streak ended with a 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Wrigley Field.
“The different angles and the reaction time with the ball off the bat is a little different over there at third,” Madrigal stated. “I’ve worked extremely hard and I do feel comfortable over there. It’s taken a lot of work in pregame and a lot of credit to the staff for getting me ready for it.”
Madrigal made a tricky operating catch close to the Cubs dugout on Anthony Santander’s foul popup within the fifth, having to cowl plenty of floor whereas taking part in nearer to the conventional shortstop place with the infield shifting in opposition to the left-handed hitter.
When Santander got here up within the seventh, Madrigal — taking part in in the identical defensive alignment — had no likelihood to cease the Orioles designated hitter’s single down the third-base line. But Madrigal tracked down the ball alongside the wall in foul territory in shallow left subject, rapidly turned and threw out Santander at second base.
Stellar protection — which additionally included Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki making diving catches and Mike Tauchman throwing out Austin Hays on the plate from middle subject — saved the Cubs within the recreation regardless of their being outhit 14-3.
The Cubs (33-38) led 3-2 earlier than the Orioles (44-27) scored 3 times within the sixth. After Jameson Taillon departed with the sport tied 3-3 and a runner at second with one out, reliever Anthony Kay allowed three straight singles, together with RBI hits from Adam Frazier and Jorge Mateo that gave the Orioles the lead for good.
Taillon (2-5) allowed 4 earned runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out one and walked two.
“It was just another one of those days where we’re close to having a good day, but it turned into a bad day at the end,” Taillon stated. “A pair weak hits, a pair well timed good at-bats by them with runners in scoring place — it’s form of the story of how my yr has been up to now.
“Overall I felt good, but it doesn’t really matter if this is the result. I’m just going to keep putting in the work until the results come.”
Tauchman had fairly a two-pitch sequence within the first. After he caught Santander’s flyout and nailed Hays with an ideal throw to the plate for an inning-ending double play, Tauchman homered on the primary pitch of the underside of the inning.
It was Tauchman’s first residence run with the Cubs and first within the majors since June 23, 2021.
“That was sweet,” Taillon stated. “It’s one of those baseball god things. You make a sick play to end the inning and you lead off the next inning with a big hit or a homer. I’ve seen that a decent amount of times. (Tauchman) has been awesome for us ever since he came up.”
Christopher Morel hit a two-run homer within the fourth, his thirteenth in 31 video games this season, to present the Cubs a 3-2 lead.
Madrigal, in the meantime, reached base in all six video games of the homestand, together with successful by pitch within the seventh Sunday, and had 5 hits throughout the stretch.
Cubs supervisor David Ross stated he has observed a couple of adjustments in Madrigal since his return from Iowa, the place he hit .488 over 11 video games.
“I think the calmness within the at-bats,” Ross stated. “One of the issues we determine that with is getting on base. He’s walked at a excessive charge. It seems like he’s taking these walks just a little extra and never urgent.
“We’re giving him a pretty good regular run here. Being able to hit down in Triple A and get his timing back, it seems like he’s on a lot of pitches now and able to control the strike zone.”
Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya was hit by a pitch on his proper arm within the seventh and was lifted for a pinch runner, however Ross stated X-rays got here again adverse.
After a 5-1 homestand, the Cubs head to Pittsburgh for 3 video games with the Pirates starting Monday earlier than their journey to London for 2 video games in opposition to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The loss dropped the Cubs 4 video games behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, however Madrigal likes the crew’s place after a profitable week at residence.
“Overall it’s just exciting times being in a Cubs uniform,” Madrigal stated. “Our division is kind of up in the air right now and we’re trying to do everything we can to take it home. It’s one game at a time. We’re playing some good baseball.”
Steve Millar is a contract reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com