Cub Tracks goes down swinging

Welcome to today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, featuring material from current beat writers, bloggers, and the occasional in-house habitué, moonlighting. These pieces center around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball.

How is Alfonso Rivas only batting in the .210s? He seems to have a hit every game. Apparently it only seems so, though. He sure does hit the ball hard, though. People are already calling for him to take his bat back to Iowa. Christopher Morel will be the new poster boy if he isn’t already.

Wasn’t the Cubs’ day. They’ll try again tomorrow, but the Diamondbacks more and more seem like the old Houston Astros used to be — the Cubs never seemed to beat them. I almost turned off Pat and Ron after Josh Rojas swatted one of his long drives off Mychal Givens, but I held on. Cubbies sure are streaky.

Jed Hoyer said a few syllables. We’ll cover that and other related events. Read on.

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• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Willson’s future? Trades? Contending timeline? Hoyer holds court. “There’s certain pieces that are quote-unquote rentals that may not be back,” Hoyer said. Tim Stebbins said things too. So did Paul Sullivan.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs still looking like trade deadline sellers, plus notes on Caleb Kilian and Ed Howard. “Hoyer said he “can’t speak to timetables””
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Drew Smyly has all the makings of a midseason trade candidate. “Smyly has been masterful when it comes to limiting hard contact.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Keegan Thompson is likely headed back to his multi-inning relief role for now. “... according to Thompson’s pitching coach...”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Cubs’ Caleb Kilian MLB debut may come sooner than later. “We’re really excited about him,” Hoyer said. Jordan Campbell agrees.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Who’s up next as Cubs continue building back? “When might fans see Caleb Kilian and Brennen Davis in the major leagues?”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Cubs’ Codi Heuer navigated Tommy John surgery during lockout. “It was kind of tough,” Heuer told NBC Sports Chicago... Alexander Patt has more Heuer.
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald* {$}): While future remains uncertain, Cubs exec Hoyer says he has great relationship with Contreras. “Willson and I get along great,” Hoyer said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Don’t make much of speculation that Mets could try to take Jason Heyward off Cubs’ hands. “... Olney openly admitted that it’s purely hypothetical...”

Food for Thought:

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