Madrigal leaves game, Cubs may need a roster move
MILWAUKEE - Nick Madrigal tried to ignore reality when he first felt a twinge in his right hamstring.
But then he felt it again and remembered missing most of the 2021 season with a hamstring tear.
"I wanted to finish that game, but everything in my head told me to I've got to get out of here," he said after the Cubs' 8-6 loss to the Brewers.
In the bottom of the fourth inning Monday, there were two foul pops hit toward Madrigal at third base. The first one landed about a foot from the wall. Madrigal chased after it, had to slam on the brakes and couldn't make the catch.
The trainer came out to check on him and Madrigal stayed in the game. But a more routine foul pop by the next batter had him second-guessing the original decision.
"It was before I hit the wall," Madrigal said. "I felt it grab a little bit. I thought I could stay in, then the very next play, I felt it again and then I just thought maybe I should take myself out, (be) precautionary, be smart about it.
"I've been feeling some calf tightness the last couple of weeks and I think it just stems off the same kind of lines."
Now the question is whether the Cubs need to make a roster move with one week left before the all-star break. To replace Madrigal on Monday, manager David Ross removed Christopher Morel from the DH spot, which meant the Cubs lost the DH for the rest of the game. Reliever Michael Fulmer ended up taking the first at-bat by a Cubs pitcher this season and struck out.
Ross said the next resort would have been to move first baseman Jared Young over to third. Wisdom went on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist sprain on June 17, so he's eligible to come back. Wisdom has played three games in his Iowa rehab assignment, going 2-for-10 at the plate with a double and home run.
"He'll be in the conversations," Ross said. "I'm sure we won't push Nick with the all-star break coming up."
Other players could also be called up from the minors, obviously. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was in Ross' office after Monday's game.
Madrigal contributed a 2-run double in the third inning as the Cubs jumped to a 6-0 lead Monday. After coming back from a stint in Iowa last month, he's hit .328 and become a valuable piece to the offense.
"We're definitely going to communicate to the whole training staff, be smart about it," Madrigal said. "Luckily, we do have the four days of the all-star break to get it right. I would like to be in there. Definitely one day at a time right now."
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