Injuries & Moves: Hendricks, Hoerner near return
LATEST NEWS
May 17: OF Cody Bellinger remains day to day with left knee soreness
Bellinger hit inside the batting cage on Wednesday, per manager David Ross, who kept the center fielder out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. Ross did not rule out having Bellinger -- who landed awkwardly after making a leaping catch in Monday's loss to the Astros -- available off the bench.
With an off-day on Thursday for the Cubs, the team has the option of taking a cautious approach with the goal of avoiding placing Bellinger on the injured list. The Cubs will reassess Bellinger's status ahead of the upcoming road series against the Phillies, beginning Friday.
Through 37 games this season, Bellinger is hitting .271 with seven homers, nine doubles, 20 RBIs, 29 runs and an .830 OPS in a resurgent showing for the North Siders. More >>
INJURY UPDATES
10-day and 15-day IL
RHP Kyle Hendricks (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: May
Hendricks completed a bullpen session with the Cubs on May 17 in Houston and was scheduled to make his next rehab start with Triple-A Iowa in the coming days. The righty allowed two runs over five innings in a fourth Minor League rehab outing for Iowa on May 14.
Hendricks struck out four, walked two and built up to 79 pitches. He has allowed just those two earned runs over his past two outings (10 innings combined), which came after he completed a bullpen session at Wrigley Field on May 6.
Hendricks is coming back from a capsular tear in his right shoulder. He has been working on an altered arm path in his delivery, with the goal of avoiding a similar setback in the future. His IL stint is retroactive to March 27. (Last updated: May 17)
2B Nico Hoerner (left hamstring strain)
Expected return: May 19-21 at Phillies
Hoerner continued to go through an array of baseball activities (including baserunning) on May 17 in Houston. Manager David Ross reiterated that the second baseman was trending well and may be ready to be activated when eligible on May 19 in Philadelphia.
Hoerner sustained the hamstring injury on May 8, and the Cubs opted to place him on the 10-day IL on May 12 (retroactive to May 9). Ross said at the time that Hoerner might have been able to return before 10 days, but a trip to the IL made sense to give him extra time to recover and return at full strength. (Last updated: May 17)
RHP Brad Boxberger (right forearm strain)
Expected return: TBD
Boxberger was placed on the 15-day IL on May 15 due to the arm issue and was scheduled to travel back to Chicago on May 17 to undergo further evaluation. Manager David Ross noted that a groin issue earlier this season led to some delivery flaws, which may have contributed to the arm discomfort.
Boxberger was sitting around 92-93 mph with his fastball in early April but saw his velocity dip to the 90-91 mph range in more recent outings. The righty has a 5.52 ERA with 13 strikeouts and nine walks in 14 2/3 innings (17 games) this season. (Last updated: May 17)
60-day IL
RHP Codi Heuer (right elbow surgery)
Expected return: Midseason 2023
Heuer threw 13 pitches in one shutout inning with one strikeout for Triple-A Iowa on May 16, marking his fourth Minor League rehab appearance. He is slated to pitch again on May 18.
Heuer underwent Tommy John surgery (full reconstruction with an internal brace) on March 7, 2022, and he missed the season. He was placed on the 60-day IL on Feb. 20 this past spring. In 65 games in '21, he had a 4.28 ERA, including a 3.14 ERA in 25 appearances down the stretch for the Cubs, who acquired Heuer from the White Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade. (Last updated: May 17)
RHP Adrian Sampson (right knee)
Expected return: TBD
The Cubs announced that Sampson underwent a meniscal debridement on his right knee on May 5. The pitcher's timetable for return is undetermined. Sampson, 31, was a candidate for a rotation job this spring after logging a 3.11 ERA in 104 1/3 innings for the Cubs last season, which included a 1.71 ERA in his last eight turns.
The righty struggled in the spring and then posted an 8.64 ERA with 10 walks in 8 1/3 innings with Triple-A Iowa before being shelved due to injury issues. Sampson was recalled by Chicago and placed on the 15-day IL on May 4. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 15. (Last updated: May 15)
RHP Ethan Roberts (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Late 2023 or '24
As Spring Training was nearing its end, Roberts was built up to around 105 feet on flat ground with no issues in his throwing program. The pitcher is working his way up to 120 feet before a two-week tapering period. He would then start ramping up towards a light "touch and feel" mound workout.
Roberts noted that he would likely begin throwing daily in the near future. The reliever underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on July 13. Roberts was initially placed on the injured list due to a right shoulder issue on May 2 and then exited a Minor League rehab outing on June 19 with the UCL injury. (Last updated: March 25)