Injury Update on Pedro Strop
The Chicago Cubs had wished to build a fearsome bullpen which would effectively shorten games to six inning affairs. When the team traded for current Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, it moved former closer Hector Rondon to the main eighth inning guy, and Pedro Strop to the seventh inning guy. This worked last season for the Kansas City Royals on their way to a World Series win. They effectively had a seventh inning closer, an eighth inning closer, and a ninth inning closer in Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson, and Wade Davis.
Well Chapman is holding up his end of the bargain, but with Rondon sidelined (which isn’t expected to be a serious triceps issue) and now Strop out 4-6 weeks with a torn meniscus in his left knee – that plan is sidelined as well.
This isn’t to say that the Cubs wouldn’t employ this philosophy once Rondon and Strop are back, but the team would like to get a sense of how they are working together before the playoffs started.
To make up the roster spot, the Cubs have recalled Justin Grimm from Triple-A Iowa. Grimm has been having an excellent season and was a hard luck assignment late in July when they made room from Jason Hammel. While the loss of Strop does hurt the bullpen, the Cubs made themselves deep at the deadline by acquiring Chapman as well as Joe Smith from the LA Angels.
