Chicago Cubs: David Bote optioned with Steve Cishek’s return in mind

Chicago Cubs infielder Davie Bote has been sent down to Triple-A Iowa as the team is anxiously awaiting Steve Cishek’s return to the bullpen.

The Chicago Cubs have optioned David Bote to Triple-A on Monday in preparation of Steve Cishek’s awaited return to the bullpen in time for Tuesday’s matchup against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley. Cishek has been on the 10-Day Injured List with inflammation in his left hip since August 10.

Bote, 26, has played in 106 games this season hitting a mediocre .257 with a .781 OPS, 10 homers, 16 doubles and 40 RBIs. The young infielder has been hitting .257 with an OPS of .658 since June 15th. Bote started hot but has recently cooled off significantly. Bote’s downfall has been his struggles against left-handed pitching. And with Ian Happ, Addison Russell and Tony Kemp currently on the roster? There isn’t much room for Bote around the infield.

In this tight wildcard race in the National League, the return of Cishek to the bullpen is crucial for the Cubs to win games.

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The bullpen has been struggling as of late. And losing a workhorse like Cishek took a toll on the pen, even if it was only for a short time. The bullpen had also lost setup man Brandon Kintzler, and closer Craig Kimbrel to the 10-Day IL with injuries, but they are both currently back in the pen.

Not only is the bullpen struggling with injuries, but position players are as well. Utility man Daniel Descalso has found himself on the 10-Day IL with issues with his left ankle. And Ben Zobrist is slowly working through Minor League assignments after being on the restricted list for an extended period. Zobrist is expected to rejoin the team in September.

It is important to note that with the conclusion of the regular season and the month of September coming up, rosters will be expanding around the majors. And with this expansion, position players who have been optioned, including Bote will be back with the team. In early April, Bote signed a somewhat surprising 5-year, $15 million extension with the Cubs through 2026 with two team options, ensuring his return.

Cishek, 33, has pitched a total of 54 games this season and has a 3.58 ERA, seven saves, and a 1.17 WHIP.  The right-hander has fired two bullpens with no issues and should be back for Tuesday evening’s game no problem. Hopefully, Cishek’s return can strengthen the pen, for the sake of this Cubs’ team earning a wildcard spot.