If you remember back to the offseason, the Chicago Cubs signed three free agent starting pitchers. Yu Darvish, Tyler Chatwood and the sometimes forgotten about Drew Smyly. Darvish and Chatwood obviously haven't worked out as the Cubs would like so far, but although Smyly hasn't pitched at all this year it still looks like he could be a great surprise for the team.
As Darvish is scheduled to throw in a simulated game in the upcoming days, another positive step toward his comeback, the Cubs had a good update on Smyly too.
The 29-year-old pitcher had Tommy John surgery last July and after signing a two-year deal in the offseason the Cubs didn't expect him to pitch for them at all in 2018. However, Smyly's rehab has progressed nicely and the positive news from June, when the lefty started pitching live batting practice, has continued to the point that there's talk he could join the pitching staff by September.
Cubs' pitching coach Jim Hickey was on 670 The Score Wednesday morning and said Smyly will throw a simulated game Thursday.
If Smyly doesn't suffer a setback in the next month, then he should be in the bullpen when rosters expand in September. Smyly has spent his career as both a starter and reliever, recording a 3.74 ERA and 1.20 WHIP 570.1 innings. Almost all of the work from the bullpen came in 2013, with the Detroit Tigers, appearing in 63 games that season, while posting an impressive 2.37 ERA in 76 innings. The left-hander hasn't pitched since 2016, when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2017 season, but Smyly began the year on the DL and never pitched for Seattle. As a starter, Smyly has put up a 3.97 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 85 career starts. So, Cubs fans can monitor the returns of Darvish and Smyly during the next month.
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