Rowan Wick has the kind of power arm teams need to get through the postseason.
Unfortunately for the Cubs, his season might be over prior to the playoffs.
Before Saturday’s game with the Twins, Wick was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Thursday with a left oblique strain. In a corresponding move, left-hander Andrew Chafin was activated from the 10-day IL.
Cubs manager David Ross said Wick’s injury is “pretty bad,” and that he will be gone much longer than 10 days and may not be a part of any playoff run.
“Yes it could (mean that),” Ross said.
If Wick is gone, that would be bad news for the Cubs, who have seen Wick develop into one of their most trusted late-inning arms over the past season and a half. He is 0-1 with a 3.12 earned-run average and has 20 strikeouts to just six walks in 19 outings, and possesses the stuff of a future closer.
His role this season has included some closing with four saves, but regardless of which inning he was deployed he figured to be a prominent part of Ross’ October bullpen.
It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen this year for Wick, who was acquired from the Padres on Nov. 20, 2018, for infielder Jason Vosler. He made his Cubs debut on May 23 of last year and by the end of the season emerged as a prominent part of the bullpen, finishing with a 2.43 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings pitched.
That carried over to this year, though Wick’s season could be done prematurely.
“(Wick) has been a big part of that bullpen for the second half of last year and then what he’s done for us this year,” Ross said. “He’s been a lock-down guy in any part of the back end of games, and throwing really well. Yes, it’s a huge loss.”
The loss came Wednesday when Wick threw a scoreless inning against Cleveland. During the top of the seventh of that game, Ross said he saw Wick trying to stretch his side before he got the last out. Ross recalled that when he was walking off the field, Wick was talking to Willson Contreras about the issue.
Ross said he was actually going to send Wick back out to begin the eighth, but the reliever said he felt a burning sensation and cramping in his side. The Cubs’ trainers didn’t think it would be smart for Wick to continue that game, and Ross agreed.
Now with Wick gone, the Cubs will try to find another right-handed answer in the bullpen other than veterans Jeremy Jeffress and Craig Kimbrel. That means guys like Duane Underwood Jr., Jason Adam, Ryan Tepera or somebody else could get the chance for a bigger role, but it’s clear that Wick’s absence will throw up another hurdle for Ross as he enters his first postseason as a manager.
It also poses a significant challenge to the depth of a relief corps that’s found its stride in September.
“Somebody will have to step up. We’ll find out who that is,” Ross said. “Those names can come and go, whoever’s hot pitching. I’ve got a lot of confidence in a lot of guys down there. I’ve definitely, throughout this short season, put guys in different scenarios that I feel like they’ve kind of answered the call and pitched well. It’s just another time. That’s the great thing about baseball: it’s just another opportunity for somebody else to step up and prove they’re a consistent big-leaguer.”
