Disastrous Phil Maton injury update compounds Cubs' biggest problem as trade deadline loom

The signing of Phil Maton has been a disaster for the Chicago Cubs. Each time the Cubs have placed Maton on the IL this season, three different occasions, the impression has been that's a phantom inury. Based on the update from Craig Counsell earlier this week, that may not be the case.

Maton had been placed on the IL with knee tendonitis on Monday, and Counsell told reporters the news isn't great. The Cubs are seeking additional opinions, and whenever that is the case, it's almost never a good sign.

It needs to be noted that this isn't a new issue for Maton. During the second-half of his season with the Texas Rangers last year, he dealt with the very injury that has plagued his first year with the Cubs. Maton has previously said that he reworked his mechanics to take some pressue off his knee, but the changes clearly haven't worked.

While there was very little not like with Maton's numbers last year, the back-and-forth with his knee injury does make you wonder how much the Cubs vetted the issue during the offseason. A deal that looked like an early steal is starting to look like an egregious mistake made by Jed Hoyer's front office.

Earlier this season, Maton gave the impression that he was aware that surgery may eventually be needed to solve the problem.

“Dealing with it chronically, it gets annoying,” Maton told reporters. “The first thought is always that, but I’m not a doctor, I don’t know what the best plan is. Thankfully, we have an awesome medical staff and people to go to, but, yeah, I would like to address it as soon as the offseason begins so I don’t have to deal with it again."

Phil Maton's injury makes one move all too obvious for the Cubs before the trade deadline

While the Cubs wait for more information, this latest setback for Maton feels like even more confirmation that the Cubs need to add another established high-leverage option to their bullpen before the trade deadline.

In the immediate interim, The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma suggested that Antoine Kelly and Eduarniel Nuñez could be the next options for the bullpen. Both were smaller additions made earlier this season, but feel like they would bridge the gap to a larger addition before the deadline.

Time is running out for the Cubs. There's less than two weeks remaining before the deadline, and if Monday's loss was any indication, reinforcements are needed as soon as possible.

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