Jon Lester is headed to the injured list

Jon Lester suffered a hamstring injury running the bases Monday and though he didn’t think it was serious, apparently, it is:

Remembering that 10 days is now the minimum IL stay (it’s going back to 15 days for pitchers next year), perhaps Lester misses only one start, since the Cubs have a couple of off days over the next couple of weeks.

There’s no word on who would take his next start. It could be Tyler Chatwood, or the Cubs could simply skip his turn in the rotation with the off days (and with potential postponements the next day or two).

I’m going to use this article as another opportunity to plug for the designated hitter. While it was certainly fun to see Lester drive in a run and later slide into the plate to score one, was it really worth it to see him now have to rehab a hamstring injury? Lester had been the Cubs’ most consistent starter through the season’s first 10 games and losing him is a blow to the pitching staff that shouldn’t be necessary.

DH in the NL. Now. It’s way past time.