After the Chicago Cubs traded for Cole Hamels, Tyler Chatwood was moved to the bullpen and he was expected to stay there the rest of the season. Basically the only way Chatwood would return to the rotation is if there was an injury.
Well…
#Cubs place Mike Montgomery on the DL. Tyler Chatwood will start tomorrow in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/xsF3QBkQjp
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) August 17, 2018
Mike Montgomery has been placed on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation and taking his place is Chatwood against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Son of a bitch.
If you need a reminder of how bad Chatwood was before getting demoted to the pen, here you go.
The Cubs are 8-2 in Tyler Chatwood's last 10 starts.
In those 10 starts Chatwood has a 6.14 ERA in 48.1 innings, walking 45 batters. He's 1-1 during that stretch, with his longest outing coming on July 7, against the Reds, 5.2 innings.
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) July 26, 2018
Hey, I guess the silver lining here is that the Cubs seem to score a ridiculous amount of runs when Chatwood starts, but damnit this is terrible news for the next couple times through the rotation.
Chatwood can’t get through five innings, which puts more stress on the bullpen and although Montgomery had a few rough starts in July, you could almost always count on six innings from him.
Chatwood’s pitched in three games out of the bullpen since getting bumped out of the rotation and the walks have still been a problem. He’s walked five in 5.2 innings, giving up four runs against the Kansas City Royals. Chatwood’s walked two batters in his last two relief appearances.
Overall this year, Chatwood has 90 walks in 99.2 innings.
Hopefully Montgomery’s injury isn’t too serious and he returns soon, but the other good news is that Yu Darvish’s rehab start is set for Sunday in South Bend. If all goes to plan, Darvish will be back starting for the Cubs in the first week of September after making three rehab starts.
Rand Rosario has been called up to take Montgomery’s roster spot.
The #Cubs today placed LHP Mike Montgomery on the 10-day DL (retroactive to Aug. 14) with left shoulder inflammation and recalled LHP Randy Rosario from @IowaCubs. pic.twitter.com/am4mEQu2I1
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 17, 2018
Anyway, just don’t be a disaster again, Chatwood.
