In the middle of a whirlwind afternoon, the Cubs announced that Kyle Hendricks will go on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation along the tendon on the back of his right middle finger.
This would normally be major news – a hand injury for a pitcher who won an ERA title, became a Cy Young Award finalist and earned a World Series ring last year – but not so much against the backdrop of Addison Russell’s domestic dispute and Major League Baseball’s fact-finding investigation.
“It’s something that we do not think is serious or long term,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said Thursday, expecting Hendricks to be available at some point during next weekend’s series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Mike Montgomery – the versatile lefty the Cubs believe can someday transition from valuable swingman to frontline starter – will face the first-place Colorado Rockies on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs will also add Triple-A Iowa right-hander Seth Frankoff to their bullpen.