Cubs News: Riley Martin injury, Ethan Roberts rehab assignment, Yacksel Ríos

The early word on Riley Martin's elbow injury does not sound encouraging for the Chicago Cubs. Martin was placed on the 15-day IL on Sunday with what the Cubs referred to as left elbow inflammation. The diagnosis often is a catch-all that buys time for further imaging and evaluation to be completed.

That is where the concern lies for Martin. Craig Counsell told reporters on Sunday that Martin won't be with the team in San Diego. Instead, the rookie southpaw will be traveling back to Chicago for further testing.

With his early success this season, Martin was quickly becoming a trusted reliever for the Cubs. He posted a 2.16 ERA through his first eight appearances with the big-league team and was striking out over 32% of the hitters he faced. With Caleb Thielbar already on the IL, Martin's ascension was an important development for the Cubs this season.

Given how elbow injuries have trended for the Cubs this season, it's hard to believe that Martin will need just a minimal stay on the IL. Especially with how vague Counsell was while describing the injury.

Cubs News: Ethan Roberts' return suddenly has importance for the bullpen

Phil Maton will likely be activated off the IL before the Cubs play the San Diego Padres on Monday night, and another return may soon follow. Ethan Roberts, recovering from a freak injury, started a minor-league rehab assignment with the Iowa Cubs on Saturday. The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reports that Roberts will likely have one more outing before being activated off the IL.

Roberts made three scoreless appearances for the Cubs before his injury, and suddenly looks like an important piece for the team to get back. With Martin and Thielbar on the IL, Roberts would give Craig Counsell another experienced southpaw in the bullpen.

Cubs News: Yacksel Ríos Cubs' debut was perfect timing

Yacksel Ríos was an under-the-radar minor-league signing for the Cubs during the offseason, and he turned heads in his debut with the team on Sunday. The 32-year-old's fastball was approaching triple digits, and he struck out two of the five batters he faced.

If the Cubs are going to rely on internal depth to get them through this wave of injuries, they will need someone like Ríos to become a legitimate option in the bullpen. In the past years, the Cubs have had success with minor-league rejects. Ríos may be the latest in that trend.

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