The Cubs pitching staff is in need of reinforcements, but it seems that Yency Almonte will not be among them. The right-handed reliever recently received a second opinion on his right shoulder strain, and unfortunately, the news was not positive for his return to throwing anytime soon.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell shared on Wednesday that Almonte is currently weighing his options, which include focusing on strengthening his shoulder or potentially undergoing surgery. It is unclear when Almonte will be able to return to the mound, as he has been shut down from throwing since early July.
Despite suffering an injury in May just as he was starting to establish himself as a reliable reliever for the Cubs, Almonte had been performing well with a 1.32 ERA in 13.2 innings across 13 appearances before the injury setback. In June, he attempted to ramp up his recovery by participating in a live bullpen session but did not respond well enough to progress to a rehab assignment. The Cubs tried slowing down his recovery by having him pitch in controlled environments, but the shoulder issue persisted.
The recent second opinion confirmed that Almonte will need to take a break from throwing and consider his next steps carefully. It’s a tough break for the 30-year-old right-hander and the Cubs as they now have to monitor his recovery closely and make decisions regarding his future with the team.
With one more season of club control remaining, the Cubs will have to decide whether it’s worth keeping Almonte on their roster or cutting ties with him if he doesn’t recover fully from his injury.
