Chicago Cubs‘ Jason Hammel was scratched from his final start of the regular season due to tightness in his right elbow.
He was originally slated to take the mound Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of the last series of the season. Instead, the 11-year veteran will opt for rest before the postseason kicks into high gear.
Hammel, like the rest of the rotation, has been effective this year, pitching his way to a 3.83 earned run average and 1.21 walks plus hits per inning rate, collecting 144 strikeouts to 53 walks in 166 2/3 innings.
It may not be the lucrative season he enjoyed when first joining the team in 2014 (2.98 ERA, 104 K, 108 1/3 IP) but more than all else, he has been extremely reliable, giving up three earned runs or less in 23 of his 30 total starts.
Then again, the end of Hammel’s season has been far less favorable than earlier portions and he may have been due for more rest in the last month and a half than he was actually given. Whether it was due to fatigue, age, quietly fighting similar ailments, or just poor matchups, he has suffered greatly in recent weeks.
Over his last seven starts, Hammel has garnered an 8.35 ERA with only one more strikeout (31) than earned runs (30) with 11 walks in 32 1/3 innings – including three in which he pitched 3 1/3 innings or less. The batting statistics against him in that time frame look like an All-Star caliber player (.331/.389/.627).
But thanks to the mid-season acquisition of Mike Montgomery (2.89 ERA, 38 K, 37 1/3 IP), the Cubs won’t be short any hands in the rotation come the postseason if need be.
In fact, manager Joe Maddon hasn’t even announced his starters for the first round of the playoffs yet, leaving a chance that Hammel may still grace the rotation once that time comes. Considering that he’s normally the fifth man on the mound with three games left in the regular season and the possibility of nearly two weeks while the wild card picture clears, he should have more than enough time for healing and further evaluation.
In place of Hammel Friday night will be Jake Buchanan, who has one major-league appearance out of the bullpen with the Cubs to date. He struggled at the time, giving up a home run in an inning of work, but has been mildly successful as a starter with Triple-A Iowa (4.34 ERA, 12-8) this season.
Jonathan Powell is the Managing Editor of Outside Pitch MLB and the Milwaukee Brewers writer. Follow him on Twitter @jonathannashhh.
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