Yency Almonte initially attempted to rehab a minor tear in his labrum but ultimately opted for season-ending shoulder surgery. The Cubs placed Almonte on the 15-day injured list on May 8 and moved him to the 60-day IL on June 27.
“It’s upsetting,” Almonte said. “I came in here with a positive mindset from the trade, ready to go, dominate. I feel like I threw well and was in a good place mentally. Building [new relationships], trying to fit in and be that source for young guys.”
Almonte mentioned that he won’t know his recovery timeline until after the surgery and hasn’t been given an official date for the procedure.
Almonte, 30, was acquired with Michael Busch from the Dodgers on January 11 in exchange for a pair of minor-leaguers. Before his injury, Almonte posted a 3.45 ERA in 17 appearances, recording 20 strikeouts in 15⅔ innings with a 1.09 WHIP.
Reinforcements on the horizon?
Mark Leiter Jr. (strained right forearm) and Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture) recently threw live batting-practice sessions. Merryweather will start a rehab assignment with Single-A South Bend for the next week, and Leiter is expected to be activated during the upcoming road trip.
Lineup adjustments
Tomas Nido made his third consecutive start behind the plate as the Cubs give Miguel Amaya time to work on his offensive struggles, with Amaya currently hitting .186.
“Offensively, [Amaya] needs to do better, and he knows that,” Counsell said. “He’s a better hitter than he’s showing.”
The Cubs also benched Christopher Morel despite the Angels starting left-hander Tyler Anderson. Counsell noted that Morel was scheduled for a day off on Friday, but Pete Crow-Armstrong’s hand injury altered those plans. Crow-Armstrong also missed Saturday’s game.
Historic broadcast
On Sunday, the Cubs’ TV broadcast on Marquee Sports Network will feature the first all-female crew in team history. Beth Mowins will handle play-by-play duties, Elise Menaker will serve as the analyst, and Taylor McGregor will report from the field.
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