Important Chicago Cubs Reliever Inching Closer to Return to Majors

The Chicago Cubs could use a reliable bullpen arm and one could be coming back from the injured list next week.

Sep 10, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Julian Merryweather (66) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. / Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a while since Chicago Cubs reliever Julian Merryweather pitched in the Majors, but the news is good as the Cubs begin the second half of the season.

Before the Cubs’ home game with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field, manager Craig Counsell told reporters, including The Athletic, that Merryweather would make a rehab appearance at Triple-A Iowa on Friday night.

The significance is that it is his fourth rehab appearance, with his last coming on Monday during an appearance with the Cubs’ Arizona Complex League Team. The rest of minor league baseball was dark due to the MLB All-Star break and All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, where Cubs starter Shota Imanaga was the team’s only representative.

More significant is that Friday’s game may be the final hurdle for Merryweather.

"I think we're getting close with Julian, for sure," Counsell said. "If all goes well I would anticipate, at the latest, him back by the road trip.”

The Cubs start a road trip next Friday.

Merryweather, a right-hander, has been out since the middle of April with a rib stress fracture in his back that was originally diagnosed as a right shoulder strain. The Cubs initially placed him on the 15-day injured list but then moved him to the 60-day IL.

The hope initially was that he would miss four weeks.

It was a big blow to the Cubs’ bullpen, as Merryweather had picked up where he left off from a season ago.

Last year he went 5-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 69 games. He threw 72 innings, striking out 98 and walking 36. He had two saves and 17 holds last season.

Before the injury, the right-hander had already made four appearances, striking out six and walking two in 4.1 innings with a 1.93 ERA.

The Cubs made another notable pitching move on Friday as they moved left-handed starter Jordan Wicks to the 60-day IL in a move to make room for another player. He is in Arizona and his move to the 60-day IL is retroactive to the original move in June.

Wicks suffered a right oblique strain on June 14 against the St. Louis Cardinals. His recovery has been slower than expected and now his comeback won’t come until at least August.

The Cubs made the move to open up a spot for reliever Jesus Tinoco, who was acquired during the All-Star break. He has been in Triple-A for most of the season with the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals, where he combined for a 3.86 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 28 innings (21 games).

He hasn’t been as effective in the Majors, as he had an 8.10 ERA in 10 innings with Texas and has a 4.58 ERA in 57 career MLB games.