Tseng will be Cubs’ surprise starter vs. Mets
Right- hander Jen- Ho Tseng is a fourth- year Cubs minor- leaguer who started the season at Class AA Tennessee and has yet to earn a bigleague spring- training assignment.
On Thursday, he makes his bigleague debut as the Cubs’ starting pitcher in the middle of a pennant race in the middle of September.
The Cubs announced the surprise move Wednesday after stashing Tseng in Arizona to keep pitching over the last week since his minor- league season ended.
The biggest, immediate impact is that it allows the Cubs to move left- hander Mike Montgomery out of the rotation to bolster a bullpen that has gotten next to nothing from lefty Justin Wilson since trading for him seven weeks ago and that has been without struggling righty Koji Uehara ( knee infection) for almost two weeks.
“Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle, and you learn some things, too,” said manager Joe Maddon, who was informed of the decision by the front office. “You never know what happens after that with some young players.
“I’m keeping a very open mind. I’m actually excited about seeing it. And I trust the people making these decisions.”
Tseng, 22, was named this week as the Cubs’ minor- league pitcher of the year — the second time he has earned that distinction ( also 2014) — after going 13- 4 with a 2.54 ERA in 24 starts at Class AA and AAA combined ( 145„ innings).
Maddon recalled that David Price debuted with the 2008 Rays in September and played a big role for the American League pennant winners out of the bullpen through October.
Tseng isn’t the No. 1 overall draft pick and power pitcher that Price was, nor does he project as a front- of- the- rotation starter.
Maddon compared his style to fastball- changeup command pitcher Kyle Hendricks’ — with a quicker fastball, closer to the low 90s.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about this kid,” Maddon said. “I’ve watched the video. In order to get us all set up pitchingwise, it was the right thing to do.”
Maddon said the move had less to do with Jake Arrieta’s injured hamstring than providing better options in the bullpen. The Cubs open a three- game series Friday against the second- place Cardinals.
Home brew
The Brewers’ weekend series against the Marlins has been switched from a road series to a home series at Miller Park because of ongoing cleanup in Miami after Hurricane Irma — giving the Brewers 84 home games, including 13 in a 16- game stretch as they closely pursue the first- place Cubs.
Despite the Brewers’ complaints over perceived scheduling slights by the Cubs, Maddon said of the Brewers’ extra home cooking: “I have no issues with it. None.”
“As severe as it is in south Florida and Florida in general, there’s no time to quibble over situations like this,” he said. “They still have to play the Marlins with Giancarlo [ Stanton] doing as well as he is. The ball carries [ at Miller Park] pretty good, too. So who knows?”
This and that
Uehara threw a simulated game Wednesday and could be ready for bullpen duty Friday.
To make room on the 40man roster for Tseng, the Cubs designated right- hander Pierce Johnson for assignment.
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