Cubs Option Player to Triple-A, All-Star Returns from Injured List

Prior to Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Cubs optioned left-handed hitter Jared Young to Triple-A, making room for Dansby Swanson. The all-star shortstop has been on the injured list since July 8, after suffering a heel injury running to first base against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 5.

Young, 28, was called up in late June after his extended hot streak with the Iowa Cubs in Triple-A. Unfortunately, Young couldn't adjust to MLB pitching in the past month and during the past week it became obvious that manager David Ross wasn't comfortable starting Young against right-handed pitchers anymore. After going 4-for-9, with a home run and two triples in his first three games with the Cubs this season, Young went 2-for-26, with nine strikeouts during the month of July.

Prior to Swanson's stint on the injured list, Swanson had a .753 OPS in 83 games, slashing .258/.343/.409, with 10 home runs.

Swanson is back at shortstop on Saturday, batting sixth against Cardinals' starter Miles Mikolas.

Meanwhile, the Cubs are going with right-handed reliever Michael Fulmer as Saturday's starting pitcher.

Fulmer, who did win AL Rookie of the Year in 2016 as a starting pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, hasn't started a game since 2021. Fulmer threw 15 pitches on Friday in the Cubs' 4-3 win over the Cardinals. He wasn't all that sharp, walking two batters and only being able to get one out in the eighth inning.

Left-handed starting pitcher Drew Smyly was lined up to start against the Cardinals this week. Ross said on Saturday that Smyly will be in the bullpen.

Smyly was great through the first two months of the 2023 season, posting a 2.60 ERA in 10 starts, but since then he’s been pretty bad. In his last 9 starts, Smyly has a 6.85 ERA in 44.2 innings. In 7 of those 9 starts, Smyly has allowed at least two runs through the first two innings of the game.

So, I guess the hope is Fulmer can get through two innings and then turn it over to Smyly?

Since June, Fulmer has been fantastic out of the bullpen, posting a 1.31 ERA in 18 appearances. The right-hander has only allowed three earned runs in 20.2 innings. However, the walks have still been an issue, as Fulmer has averaged nearly five walks per nine innings. Hopefully his control is on point today and he doesn't get in trouble right off the bat in what seems to be a bullpen game for the Cubs.

One last thing, Miles Mastrobuoni has actually been good in July. On Friday, he hit his first MLB home run, a solo blast in the third inning that tied the game. He later singled and is now 9-for-21 this month, with a 1.097 OPS. Will those numbers continue? No, but it's good to see him finally contribute on offense after recording a .431 OPS through June.