CHICAGO (104.3 The Score) – After missing nearly two months with a left hamstring strain, Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera was roughed up his first start back Sunday, allowing seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings in a loss to the Cardinals.
Just a day later, Cabrera was placed back on the injured list with another blister, leaving the Cubs still searching for answers.
“It hasn’t clicked,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday evening. “You spend a lot of time figuring those out.”
With another bad outing Sunday, Cabrera has a 5.65 ERA in 15 starts this season despite playing in front of the best defense in baseball. He boasts a 5.19 FIP, and his 7.9 strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio is a career low.
“I wish every story was a success story – this one right now is not,” Counsell said. “We’re gonna keep working on trying to find answers and trying to find solutions.”
It seems that solution could be Cabrera working out of the bullpen once he returns. Counsell and the Cubs believe the transition to pitching in shorter bursts might help Cabrera’s recurring blister injuries.
“He’s dealt with this and pitched with this, and I think one of the things we’re thinking is it doesn’t necessarily pop up in bullpens when the volume is lower,” Counsell said. “So maybe we can make some progress there and that can be a fix at least for the last six weeks here.”
It’s easy to envision the potential Cabrera has as a reliever if he can fix his issues. With an upper-90s fastball and a mix of off-speed, Cabrera could bring swing-and-miss stuff to the Cubs bullpen, a trait that’s valuable to any pitching staff in October.
Jakob Stutz is a video producer and reporter for 104.3 The Score.
