Cubs Send Starting Pitcher to Triple-A

Well, I guess we shouldn't be too surprised, especially after what happened on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. Chicago Cubs rookie starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski has been sent back down to Triple-A Iowa. I wrote last week that it would be annoying to see Wesneski being the odd-man out with Kyle Hendricks nearing his return to the starting rotation, but as positive as I've tried to be about the 25-year-old pitcher, the eye test just hasn't been good and the numbers have been worse.

The Cubs made a few roster moves prior to their series opener on Monday, as right-handed reliever Brad Boxberger has been placed on the 15-day injured list. Right-hander Jeremiah Estrada will take his spot, while Nick Burdi will also head to the bullpen, with Wesneski getting optioned to make room on the 26-man roster. The Cubs also moved Adrian Sampson to the 60-day injured list to open up a roster spot for Burdi.

Prior to Saturday's start, Wesneski really only had one awful showing this season, which came against the Seattle Mariners in his second start of the year. Yet, since then until Saturday, Wesneski had only given up seven earned runs in 28.1 innings, good for a 2.22 ERA in those five starts.

However, it was obvious watching Wesneski pitch so far in 2023 that he just wasn't having the same movement on his pitches and the nasty slider that we saw last September and during spring training was gone for the most part.

The right-hander wasn't fooling hitters and Saturday was a prime example of that in Minnesota, where he gave up four monster home runs to the Twins.

When Wesneski first came up to the big leagues at the end of the 2022 season, he gave up three home runs in 33 innings. After Saturday, Wesneski had served up 10 home runs in 39.1 innings through eight starts.

So, hopefully the Cubs can figure out what adjustments Wesneski needs to make while he's back in Triple-A.

Personally speaking, this is a great reminder to never take most things about spring training all that seriously. Wesneski looked like the team's best pitcher down in Arizona back in March and he just wasn't that guy through the first seven weeks of the regular season. Secondly, mine and some other Cubs fans expectations, were far too high. We are talking about a rookie, who did only have 33 MLB innings under his belt.

I still believe Wesneski earned a shot in the starting rotation, so there shouldn't be any qualms whether or not it was too much, too fast for him, but expecting him to be great right away was unfair.

So, later this week Hendricks will be making his season debut in the Cubs starting rotation. The veteran righty has not pitched in the majors since July 5, 2022. Hendricks is fully healthy now, pain free from a shoulder issue that kept him out last year and delayed his 2023 season. But even before the injury, Hendricks had been declining on the mound, so it will be interesting to see how he looks in his return.

Or maybe not yet.

Guess we'll find out soon enough.