Chicago Cubs: Brandon Morrow injury makes trade for impact arm crucial

Regardless of the severity of the injury to closer Brandon Morrow, it serves as a cautionary tale for a Chicago Cubs team chasing another championship.

No one expect Chicago Cubs closer Brandon Morrow to be sidelined for very long. The team placed him on the 10-day disabled list earlier this week with biceps inflammation, leaving Joe Maddon with a closer-by-committee setup for this weekend’s showdown with the Cardinals.

The right-hander, enjoying a stellar first year as a big league closer, missed time earlier this year, as well, when he tweaked his back getting dressed. Both of these disabled list stints seem pretty minor, sure, but that’s not to say the ‘big one’ isn’t waiting around the corner.

For months, Chicago and high-end arms connected off and on in rumors. Brad Hand, who joined the Cleveland Indians earlier this week in a big-time deal with the Padres, is off the board. But there are still plenty of alternatives to shore up a heavily-taxed Cubs pen.

Maybe you’d prefer the Cubs prioritize the rotation. I can’t say I disagree with that thinking, but with the amount of money sunk in the current staff, it seems likely they push forward with this group.