Marcus Stroman Makes Chicago Cubs Bullpen Debut

The Chicago Cubs got Marcus Stroman back on Friday from the injured list and his first relief stint was a solid one.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman made his first appearance in a Major League game since July 31 when he entered in the seventh inning of Friday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Stroman was activated before the game from the injured list after more than a month of being off the field with two injuries, one of which was a freak injury that kept the Cubs from activating him at the end of his original stint on the 15-day injured list.

Stroman got started in style, getting Arizona’s Ketel Marte to ground out to first base and then striking out rookie Corbin Carroll.

Following a walk to Tommy Pham, he struck out Christian Walker to end the inning.

Marcus Stroman's 2Ks in the 7th pic.twitter.com/RDWvcIktml

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 16, 2023

He came back out in the eighth and gave up a two-out single to Gabriel Moreno, which represented the only hit he allowed.

Stroman pitched two innings in relief of starter Justin Steele, giving up one hit, one walk and striking out three. He threw 31 pitches, 16 of which were strikes. The Diamondbacks won the game, 6-4.

At one time this season, Stroman was the Cubs’ best starting pitcher. He had such a good start to the season that he was entertaining Cy Young talk, attracting potential trade suitors and was asking the Cubs to extend his deal past this season.

But, after the All-Star Break his performance took a noticeable dip due to the hip injury. As a starter he was 10-8 record with a 3.85 ERA in 23 starts, with 111 strikeouts and 50 walks.

Stroman had been in Arizona for more than a week rehabbing a right rib cartilage fracture that he suffered during the final stretch of his rehab from a 15-day injured list stint for right hip inflammation. The Cubs originally put him on the list on Aug 2.

He was actually poised to return to the rotation when he was eligible to be activated after a final bullpen session in Toronto. But, well after the session, he reported some soreness to team trainers.

After an examination, he was diagnosed with the right rib cartilage fracture, which Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said wasn’t a “common pitching injury.”

While Stroman was healing from this injury, momentum emerged from both the Cubs and Stroman to bring him back in whatever role would help the team, which for the moment is the bullpen.

While in Arizona Stroman threw several bullpen sessions and at least one live batting practice session at their Mesa Spring Training Complex.

Stroman gives the bullpen a boost, as they put closer Adbert Alzolay on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain earlier this week.

He’s been reliable for the Cubs most of the season. He heads to the injured list with a 2.71 ERA in 63 innings (57 games) and 22 saves.