MILWAUKEE — A foul ball off his left shin won’t require Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ to go on the injured list.
Although Happ still felt sore and wasn’t in the lineup to start Wednesday’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers, he avoided a serious injury. Happ exited Tuesday’s game mid at-bat in the eighth inning after he fouled a pitch off his right shin. X-rays were negative, and Happ is considered day-to-day.
Happ felt well enough to be used off the bench in Wednesday’s 10-3 win over the Brewers. He entered as a pinch hitter in the designated hitter spot during the seventh inning, striking out, then connected on a solo home run to right field in the ninth.
Before Wednesday’s game, Happ emphatically stated he “100% no” won’t need an IL stint. The switch-hitting Happ typically doesn’t wear a shin protector when hitting because he doesn’t like the bulky feeling, but he’ll likely use one on his left shin when he hits right-handed once he’s back in the lineup and then ditch it again.
“That’s as bad as I’ve felt, that was a pretty good one,” Happ said before wryly adding, “Squared the ball up though, it was the pitch I was looking for.”
Seiya Suzuki got the start Wednesday in left field in Happ’s absence. The Cubs called up prospect Moisés Ballesteros and started him as their designated hitter as the corresponding move for designating infielder Vidal Bruján for assignment.
“We’re trying to put the best lineup out there, essentially,” manager Craig Counsell said of the roster move. “For today, it made sense.”
Ballesteros, 21, returns to the majors after making his MLB debut in May when he started five games at DH.
“Just trying not to do too much,” Ballesteros said through an interpreter of what he learned from his first big-league experience. “Trying to know how to be more calm, a little more patient when hitting. As much as we want to get out there and do things too perfect, just got to stick to what you do and just try not to do too much.”
Counsell anticipated that moving forward, the Cubs will need to make other roster changes for outfield depth. Bruján had been the fifth outfielder, and with Happ banged up, veteran Jon Berti was the backup outfielder Wednesday. Berti, along with Suzuki, took balls in left field before the game.
Counsell acknowledged there was some internal debate about whether to promote outfielder Owen Caissie, their top prospect, instead, adding “the rosters are changeable every day.” Caissie is considered part of the outfield depth mix the Cubs will consider moving forward — if he isn’t traded before Thursday’s 5 p.m. deadline.
The Cubs also activated reliever Porter Hodge from the IL prior to the game and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa. Hodge hasn’t been the elite, reliable arm he was last year in the bullpen. He owns a 6.85 ERA in 26 appearances this year and struggled in his rehab appearance Tuesday with Iowa, allowing two hits, two walks and four runs while striking out one batter in 1/3 inning.
“He obviously didn’t pitch well last night, but he’s healthy,” Counsell said. “What’s going to happen now, he’s just going to get regular work, and I think that’s the best way to try to get him back to good form.”
