Roster Move: Cubs option infielder Nick Madrigal |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today activated right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks off the 15-day injured list and optioned infielder Nick Madrigal to Triple-A Iowa.
Hendricks, 33, will make tonight’s 6:40 p.m. CT start against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field. Hendricks opened this season on the 15-day injured list while continuing to recover from a right shoulder strain that sidelined him for the second half of last year. In five injury rehabilitation starts with Iowa from April 27-May 20, Hendricks was 2-1 with a 5.75 ERA (13 ER/20.1 IP), six walks and 20 strikeouts. That includes a 1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) spanning his final three starts beginning May 9, a stretch that included a .232 opponent average, two walks and 14 strikeouts. Hendricks last season was limited to 16 starts for the Cubs due to a right shoulder strain that landed him on the 15-day injured list July 6. He was 4-6 with a 4.80 ERA (45 ER/84.1 IP), including three outings of at least 7.0 shutout innings. He made his final start of the season, July 5 at Milwaukee, allowing two runs in 3.0 innings before departing due to right shoulder soreness. Since making his major league debut with the Cubs in 2014, Hendricks is 87-61 with a 3.46 ERA (504 ER/1,312.2 IP) in 223 career games, all but one as a starter. He ranks 10th in franchise history with 1,079 strikeouts and his 222 starts rank 17th while his 87 victories rank 25th. Hendricks has four seasons of at least 20 starts and a sub-3.50 ERA, and in 2016 finished third in the N.L. Cy Young vote after leading the majors with a 2.13 ERA and setting career marks with 16 victories and 170 strikeouts.
Madrigal, 26, has batted .247 (23-for-93) with three doubles, one triple and nine RBI in 34 games for Chicago this season. He has played 19 games (16 starts) at third base, nine games (four starts) at second base and has had four starts at designated hitter.
