When Cubs reliever Adbert Alzolay originally received the diagnosis of a flexor strain in his right elbow, he was relieved. He’d feared worse after pitching through tightness in the 10th inning of the Cubs’ 5-4 win in Pittsburgh on May 12.
But now, he’s headed for surgery, manager Craig Counsell revealed on Thursday.
“He’s seeking second opinions just to determine exactly what and where he’s going to have surgery,” Counsell said before the Cubs opened a four-game series against the Cardinals on Thursday.
He was scheduled to arrive at Wrigley Field later on Thursday, but the Cubs don’t expect to have clarity until early next week.
“He’s going to have to get the surgery done, and be patient, and be diligent with rehab and, and get back to being healthy,” Counsell said.
Alzolay had been progressing in his injury rehab, graduating to throwing in games at the Cubs’ Arizona complex about two months in, and joining Triple-A Iowa on a rehab assignment last Saturday in his third rehab game overall.
His recovery from between outings raised concern. Earlier this week, he traveled to Chicago to be evaluated.
“You knew something’s wrong when you’re not recovering,” Counsell said.
The injury came just as Alzolay was beginning to, as he put it, feel more like himself. Before his last game, he had strung together three straight scoreless outings, a promising sign in the wake of the right-hander losing his closing role.
Injuries have haunted Alzolay for much of his career. But last season, experiencing a closer’s workload for the first time, he spent less than weeks on the IL (strained right forearm) in September.
He used that experience to build off his offseason routine the previous year, but the early injury wiped out his chance to follow up his performance. He played in just 18 games before landing on the IL.
Cubs debut jersey patch
The Cubs debuted a sponsored jersey patch on Thursday, adding Motorola’s “batwing” logo to the sleeve. The patches correspond in color to each Cubs uniform set. On the Cubs’ home whites, the blue logo matched the blue pinstripes.
Motorola is based in the greater Chicago area. The jersey patch partnership is a multi-year deal.
Jersey patches have become increasingly popular among major professional sports teams, providing another revenue stream for the business. In MLB, only seven teams, including the White Sox, sport sponsorship patch-free uniforms.
The announcement drew apathy from some fans. But others took to social media to express frustration in what they saw as a money-grabbing move that will have no bearing on a disappointing season.
Injury update
Cubs right-hander Hayden Wesneski (strained right forearm) was scheduled to play catch Thursday, a meaningful step less than two weeks after he landed on the IL. He’d briefly tested his arm about a week after the injury, he estimated, and the Cubs shut him down from throwing again.