ARLINGTON -- The Cubs have dealt with a constant churn of injuries and transactions related to their bullpen over the first seven weeks of this season. That remained the case for the North Siders when they arrived at Globe Life Field on Friday to begin a series with the Rangers.
The latest wave of updates offered a bit of good news with the bad.
The Cubs activated right-hander Ethan Roberts from the 15-day injured list and cleared room by optioning righty Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa. Veteran lefty Caleb Thielbar also completed a bullpen session on Friday and keeps getting closer to his return. On the other end of things, righty Hunter Harvey is being shut down for a month due to another setback.
“It’s just not rushing these guys back and making sure we’re doing the right things,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. “Thielbar has done a great job checking a lot of things off the list. Today he threw a great bullpen. You never feel like you’re out of the woods, but it is nice when you have some of these names coming back.”
The Cubs recently had closer Daniel Palencia and veteran righty Phil Maton back from the 15-day IL. Roberts returns after a Minor League rehab stint with Iowa, following a freak workout accident on April 14 that left him with a right middle finger laceration. Thielbar has been on the 15-day IL since April 24 due to a left hamstring strain.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that Thielbar is scheduled to have a light mound workout on Sunday in Texas after the latest bullpen session went well. From there, the 39-year-old lefty would likely face hitters in a live bullpen during the team’s next series in Atlanta. If everything goes to plan, Thielbar might then head out on a Minor League rehab by next weekend.
Counsell said it will be determined later if Thielbar needs more than one rehab appearance prior to being activated.
“We’re progressing in a pretty good manner here,” Counsell said.
Harvey, on the other hand, threw a bullpen session on Thursday and came away reporting similar symptoms to the right triceps injury that landed him on the 15-day IL on April 12. Counsell said the Cubs had Harvey undergo an MRI exam, which revealed a stress reaction near the triceps/shoulder area.
The Cubs manager added that Harvey -- signed to a one-year, $6 million deal over the winter -- will move his rehab to the team’s complex in Arizona. The current plan is to have the righty stop throwing for the four weeks before being re-evaluated.
“The same area where the muscle soreness was,” Counsell said. “We’re going to have to stop and reset.”