Chicago Cubs: Jeimer Candelario reportedly being recalled to replace hobbled Addison Russell
The Chicago Cubs will reportedly call up Jeimer Candelario to help with the injury to shortstop Addison Russell.
The Chicago Cubs continue to deal with a ton of nagging injuries. With Kyle Hendricks, Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward already on the disabled list, the Cubs suffered another injury on Sunday, as Addison Russell left their game against the Miami Marlins early with a sore right shoulder.
The sore shoulder is something that has been bothering Russell for a while now, but he has played well through it. He even seemed to be getting healthier recently, looking much better and more comfortable at the plate and in the field. However, Russell’s shoulder is obviously still an issue and he may be out of action for a while.
According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the Cubs will call up third baseman Jeimer Candelario to help with the Russell injury. Candelario will likely be with the team on Monday in Washington.
Jeimer Candelario being recalled for the Cubs. Russell injury likely the reason another body needed. Cubs carrying 9 relievers.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) June 26, 2017
The Cubs are already short on position player side, as they have been playing with nine men in the bullpen. Their elite versatility allows the Cubs to carry extra pitchers in the bullpen. However, they can only go so far. Even if Russell does not need a stint on the disabled list, the Cubs will need another bat if he is unavailable or limited for a couple of days. Javier Baez will fill in at shortstop in his absence.
Candelario was the obvious candidate to get called up. He was up with the big league club earlier in the season, hitting only .143/.182/.190 in 22 plate appearances. That can obviously be chalked up to a small sample size, as Candelario’s .274/.366/.520 line at Triple-A this season is fantastic.
Candelario is a smooth offensive player who shows great plate discipline, good contact skills and some pop in his bat. He is a talented switch-hitter who could undoubtedly come up and make an impact for a struggling offense.
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I doubt that Candelario will come up and solve all of the Cubs’ offensive issues. However, he certainly adds an impact bat to the mix. It would be interesting to see what Candelario could do if given a consistent opportunity at the big league level. Make no mistake about it, his bat is legit.