How Cubs pitchers Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, Hayden Wesneski can still impact team
Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown and Hayden Wesneski looked poised to play roles for the Cubs pitching staff this season.
The injury bug has hampered their time on the field — so, will they still pitch this season?
“Absolutely,” manager Craig Counsell said before Friday’s 6-3 win over the Cardinals.
Wicks, 24, was in the Cubs’ Opening Day rotation and the hope was he could be a key piece in their starters’ mix. He carried a 4.70 ERA through his first 5 starts before landing on the IL with a left forearm injury. Wicks returned in June and, in his second outing back, was pulled after 1.2 innings with a right oblique strain.
The lefty was threw live batting practice Friday in Arizona, throwing 29 pitches and “felt great”, per the Cubs. The next step would likely be a rehab appearance with an affiliate.
“I think Jordan’s calendar is the most clear cut in terms of like, he’s on a pretty clear calendar to get him back,” Counsell said. “The other guys — the calendar is a little more fuzzy, I guess. But I still expect them to pitch.”
Brown (left neck strain) is rehabbing in Arizona and Wesneski (right forearm strain) is with the team in his path to a return.
At Cubs Convention in January, Counsell shared his excitement with the Cubs’ young pitching. He even referenced Wesneski by name as an arm that intrigued him.
Brown came up before the second game of the season and has served as a valuable option – making 8 starts and 7 relief appearances and posting a 3.58 ERA. Wesneski had a 3.94 ERA in 25 games (7 starts) and has shown the ability to be a shutdown option at times this season.
They might not have had the resounding impact they might have thought, but Counsell’s excitement for where the team’s pitching is hasn’t waned.
“No, not at all,” he said. “Look what Ben Brown’s done. I think Wes has taken a step forward. Pitching and injuries, unfortunately, like, you have to know that there that’s going to be part of it. But they’ve all, I think from a development perspective, taken a step forward. And so you feel like you’re in a better place.”