Maton (knee tendinitis) returns to IL as Cubs seek second opinions

CHICAGO -- The Cubs were hopeful that Phil Maton’s last trip to the injured list -- combined with the All-Star break -- would give the veteran reliever ample time to rest the right knee that has been a persistent issue dating back to last season. That turned out to be wishful thinking.

Prior to Monday’s game against the Tigers, the Cubs placed Maton on the 15-day IL due to right knee tendinitis for a third time this season. Manager Craig Counsell said the righty underwent an MRI exam and the results were concerning enough for the club to now seek more opinions about the next step.

“We were all optimistic,” Counsell said. “He thought, we thought, we were in a pretty good place. … We’re looking at a little bit more extended absence here.”

Counsell was asked if Maton might require surgery.

“Let’s get the other opinions and see where we have to go,” said the manager.

The 33-year-old Maton allowed one run on two hits with a walk in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 10-1 win over the Twins and experienced a flare-up of the right knee symptoms, per Counsell. It was Maton’s first appearance after being activated from the 15-day IL on July 11, following his most recent stay.

Maton also missed two-plus weeks in April due to the knee injury. In 31 games for the Cubs overall this year, the right-hander has posted a 6.18 ERA with 31 strikeouts and 16 walks in 27 2/3 innings for Chicago, which inked him to a two-year deal worth $14.5 million over the winter to be a featured late-inning arm.

With Maton sidelined, the Cubs were able to officially add right-hander Aaron Civale (acquired in a trade with the A’s on Saturday) to the active roster. The North Siders also activated righty Jameson Taillon (Monday’s starter against Detroit) from the 15-day IL and designated left-hander Drew Pomeranz for assignment.

The Cubs added Pomeranz to the bullpen on July 3 after he returned to the organization on a Minor League deal, and the lefty helped make up for the absence of lefty Hoby Milner (on the IL after an appendectomy on June 27). With Milner on the mend and expected to be back around early August, Counsell saw fewer innings available for Pomeranz, who has pitched under the manager in multiple seasons in his career.

In the immediate picture, Counsell has pointed to the fact that the Cubs have a stretch of 17 games in a row (and 26 games in 27 days), following a team off-day on Thursday. That makes the kind of volume that Civale and Javier Assad can provide behind the rotation crucial right now for Chicago.

“To me, with our schedule here the next two and a half weeks of a lot of games,” Counsell said, “I just didn’t feel like Drew was going to be an answer long term. And I thought the innings, the priority of the innings, is pretty important right now. That led to the move.

“Drew and I have had some fun times together. It didn’t work out this time, but certainly last year and a couple times before that, it really has. And I wish him the best.”