Chicago Cubs: David Bote called up, Derek Holland to the IL

The Chicago Cubs couldn’t keep up with a three-person bench, especially with Anthony Rizzo’s stiff back. The Cubs called up David Bote ad sent Derek Holland to the IL.

The Chicago Cubs recalled David Bote a little sooner than planned. With Anthony Rizzo nursing a sore back, the team needed some reinforcements on offense. And this time, it’s not a phantom injury that sent Derek Holland to the 10-day IL. Holland took a liner off the bat of Brandon Crawford on Wednesday, glancing off his wrist and into right field. He wasn’t pitching that well, but an injury is an injury.

Bote is back, and it’s difficult to say if his time at Triple-A Iowa was good for him. He played in just three games with a slash line of .100/.182/.100 with an OPS of .282. If he was working on not striking out as much? It wasn’t. He struck out five of the 11 plate appearances he had.

Statistically, he has a better year than he did last season. In 32 more games, he’s slashing .257/.352/.429 with an OPS of .781. He has an OPS+ of 100 compared to 92 last season. Maybe it’s the five-year extension he signed that makes him look like he’s struggling.

Expectations have been raised for Bote. The guy hit a walk-off grand slam against the Nationals last season. Bote has been clutch for the Cubs, but it doesn’t seem as much this year.

Holland was brought in to get left-handed batters out, and to be honest? I can’t recall him having a clean inning. I haven’t seen him pitch every time, but I doubt it’s happened. The Cubs got what they wanted, but they didn’t get what they needed. Holland has thrown 9 2/3 innings with an ERA of 4.66. But he’s allowed five of the nine inherited runners to score.

With the roster move, Maddon is going to keep Rizzo as ‘day-to-day’ unless he tells him or trainer PJ Mainville different. He’s dealt with this in the past, and he’s probably getting pretty good at it. But the back is a fickle thing, and when it seems alright? Rizzo is on the 10-day IL a week after he was ‘day-to-day.’

Willson Contreras is still on the IL. Nicholas Castellanos can’t carry the load by himself–although he’s doing just that. We need a healthy Rizzo in the lineup. Javier Baez needs a rest, as well. He’s batted just .200 in his last 10 games with three doubles and two RBI.