CINCINNATI – The Reds knocked back-to-back jacks off Javier Assad on Saturday night.
But by then, the righty’s work in helping keep the Cubs’ injury-ravaged pitching staff afloat had already made him one of this team’s first-half lifesavers.
“It’s been a time of need for us in the rotation. When you have injuries and you bring guys up to add to your rotation, he has more than delivered from that role,” manager Craig Counsell said before the game. “That’s been a really positive development in the midst of a lot of injuries.
“He has taken advantage of an opportunity and given us strong innings. Whether it’s been starting or the bullpen, he’s given us very strong innings.”
Assad’s performance has indeed been big as the Cubs have tried to navigate an injury avalanche that at one point saw an entire rotation and late-inning relief mix on the shelf simultaneously.
Sent to the minors in mid May with an ERA near 6.00, the Cubs called on him when righty Jameson Taillon went down in the middle of a start. Assad delivered what Counsell called a “heroic” 6 1/3 innings in relief, allowing only one hit.
Plugged into the rotation, Assad has a 2.39 ERA in five starts since – including the two runs on two solo homers he allowed in five innings Saturday – and also logged another multi-inning relief outing.
The innings Assad has provided would have been valuable enough, given the need. The performance has made him part of the reason those injuries haven’t buried the team.
Of course, the All-Star break is not a finish line, and the Cubs are far from out of the woods when it comes to getting healthy.
“We’re not going to come back from the break and be finished with the injuries,” Counsell said Friday. “We’ve still got injury issues. … Every team has some injuries, but to get back to medium strength, we’re still at a pretty big deficit after the break.”
The Cubs will still be waiting on recoveries from starter Edward Cabrera, closer Daniel Palencia and multiple relievers, including lefty Hoby Milner. Lefty Justin Steele and righty Ben Brown are also sidelined, perhaps not expected to return in time to make starts before season’s end.
It’s what has made Assad – and others who weren’t supposed to shoulder starring roles – such a valuable contributor. The depth he’s provided could serve the Cubs well as they eye a deep postseason run.
Maton returns
The Cubs are happy to have righty reliever Phil Maton back from the IL, hoping the knee tendinitis that has perhaps contributed to his poor performance – he woke up Saturday with an ERA north of 6.00 – is behind him.
“The knee has affected him, there’s no question about it,” Counsell said. “He would tell you it hasn’t always prevented him from pitching, but it’s just there.
“We’ve taken two tries now to try to get it behind him a little bit and put it in the background. It’s going to be there a little bit as we move forward, but hopefully, we can kind of keep it in the background.”
Taillon’s final tune up
Taillon made his second straight minor league rehab start Saturday, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings with Triple-A Iowa, allowing only one hit and walking one batter.
Should all be well coming out of the outing, he’s expected to return to the Cubs’ rotation on the other side of the All-Star break.