Cubs reliever Wieck has surgery for heart issue
Chicago Cubs reliever Brad Wieck had surgery this week for an abnormal heart flutter and is out indefinitely.
The team said Thursday an irregular heartbeat was discovered during the 28year-old left-hander’s spring training physical. Subsequent tests showed an intermittent atrial flutter.
Wieck underwent a cardiac ablation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago on Monday and returned to Arizona two days later.
The Cubs said Wieck will “rest and rehab for the next week” and be re-evaluated then to determine when he can resume throwing.
Wieck had a 5.71 ERA over 44 appearances for San Diego and Chicago last season. He had a 3.60 ERA in 14 games with the Cubs.
First black crew chief appointed: Kerwin Danley became the first African American umpire crew chief in Major League Baseball when a series of promotions, additions and retirements were announced.
The 58-year-old Danley has worked two World Series and 10 other postseason rounds, along with two All-Star Games. He called his first game in the majors in 1992 and was hired to the MLB staff in 1998.
The moves included Alfonso Marquez being elevated to the first Hispanic crew chief in MLB history born outside the United States and second overall.
Sale to go on injured list: Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale will start the season on the injured list, manager Ron Roenicke said.
Sale, who reported to camp with pneumonia and is behind schedule, will be placed on the 15-day injured list and will remain in Fort Myers for extended spring training when the team breaks camp.
Cleveland reliever shelved: Indians reliever Emmanuel Clase could be sidelined three months with a strained back muscle, another blow to Cleveland’s pitching staff.
The hard-throwing Clase, the centerpiece of an offseason trade that sent two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to Texas, experienced upper arm discomfort following a bullpen session last week. He continued to have issues this week and the Indians had him undergo imaging tests Wednesday.
An MRI confirmed a moderate strain of the teres major muscle in his upper back. The team said he will be re-evaluated weekly, but the 21-year-old is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks of game activity.