As if the trade rumors surrounding the Chicago Cubs weren't already plentiful, last night's loss to the St. Louis Cardinals raised some more questions thanks to an injury and a blown save.
Jason Hammel left his start after the first inning due to a tight left hamstring and he'll undergo an MRI on Thursday, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. The Cubs called on starter Clayton Richard to pick up from there, but the Cardinals took a 4-0 lead by the top of the fourth, further exploiting the fact the team needs starting rotation help.
However, the offense staged a comeback. Chicago got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth and then catcher Miguel Montero ripped a three-run double in the bottom of the sixth to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead. That cushion held until the top of the ninth inning.
Travis Wood and Hector Rondon combined for four strong innings of relief to keep the Cubs in it and Pedro Strop was one out away from sealing the victory.
But the right-hander walked infielder Matt Carpenter and served up a meaty fastball to shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who took Strop deep to left field to give the Cardinals a 6-5 lead in the ninth. This further exploited the fact the Cubs need back end bullpen help.
"It is tough, especially against a team from our division and we're trying to catch those guys," Strop told Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. "Of course, it was a tough one to swallow. Two outs, two strikes, it's really tough. That's one of those times you understand baseball is tough. It's not as easy as it looks on TV."
Manager Joe Maddon has gone with a closer-by-committee system in using a combination of Strop, Rondon and Jason Motte in the ninth inning. Coming into the season, Strop was the setup man and Rondon was the closer, but their glaring inconsistencies forced Maddon to change course and now the need for a sure-fire closer is becoming greater by the day.
They signed Rafael Soriano to a minor-league deal and have had trade discussions with the Phillies regarding Jonathan Papelbon, but Philadelphia pulled back on moving the right-hander last month, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. Perhaps last night's loss has the Cubs ramping up talks with the Phillies if they feel the bullpen really needs an upgrade.
Milwaukee Brewers' closer Francisco Rodriguez and reliever Neal Cotts are also expected to be on the market, but it's unknown if general manager Doug Melvin will trade within the division. Another option is Oakland Athletics' reliever Tyler Clippard, but there are expected to be many suitors for him, which will drive up his trade value.
However, their starting pitching situation could be more serious if Hammel - their most consistent starter so far - is on the shelf for an extensive period of time. The Cubs have been linked to a number of starters in trade rumors, but it's clear they want to sign a big name in the offseason and acquire an established arm with a few years of club control before the deadline.
However, they have a legitimate shot of contending this season and the potential loss of Hammel significantly increases their need for a starter.
"The Cubs understood they needed more pitching even before No. 5 starter Tsuyoshi Wada went on the disabled list last month," writes Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. "They already gave a Busch Stadium start to Donn Roach. They grabbed Richard from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a cash deal last week, taking advantage of a clause in his minor-league contract and getting him out of Triple-A ...
"Ideally, the Cubs would probably like Hendricks as their fifth starter, not the No. 3 guy in a playoff push, which seems more credible after splitting this series with the Cardinals."
Crane Kenney, the Cubs' president of business operations, told David Kaplan of CSN Chicago that "there are financial resources if Theo [Epstein] needs money to make a deal."
The trade market still has yet to crystallize, so the Cubs' front office has time to do their research and target the players they hope can provide an upgrade in lacking areas.
"The Cubs are interested in acquiring a starting pitcher, reliever and a bat, and with Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer at the controls, I expect we'll see one or two news conferences by the end of July," adds ESPN Insider Jim Bowden.
The Cubs should make some big moves in the next few weeks, especially after last night's debacle.