:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69939319/1170850672.jpg.0.jpg)
The Cubs have been banged up in recent weeks, and today Nico Hoerner and Nick Martini joined the bunch on the injured list:
Cubs moves:
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) October 1, 2021
• SS Nico Hoerner 10-day IL (right oblique tightness, retroactive to 9/28)
• RHP Cory Abbott recalled from Triple-A, will start tonight
• OF Nick Martini placed on IL (no specifics given)
• OF Johneshwy Fargas selected from Triple-A
Hoerner’s season had already been shut down; he finishes the 2021 season batting .302/.382/.369 (45-for-149) with 10 doubles and five stolen bases.
Martini’s placement on the IL with no specifics can mean a COVID-19 placement, though again nothing’s specific from the team. Martini had actually started to hit, a bit, when given playing time over the last few games. His 2021 season wraps up with these numbers: .270/.356/.297 (10-for-37) with a double, six walks and one four-hit game.
Cory Abbott has pitched in eight games for the Cubs this year with an 8.03 ERA and 2.027 WHIP. Tonight will be his first major league start. He last pitched September 22 for Triple-A Iowa, throwing 57 pitches, so I suspect his inning count tonight might be limited to three or four.
Johneshwy Fargas played in 13 games for the Cubs in August and hit .269/.296/.346 (7-for-26) with a triple. He also played in seven games for the Mets earlier this year and went 6-for-21 for them with three doubles and a triple.
I’d like to say these will be the final roster moves for the Cubs before the 2021 season ends, but the way things have been recently, you never know. Since both Abbott and Fargas have previously played for the Cubs this year, the count of men who have played for the Cubs in 2021 remains at a franchise-record 66, one short of the MLB record of 67 set by the 2019 Mariners.
As always, we await developments.