Cubs closer Morrow injures back while taking off pants
The Chicago Cubs will have to get by without closer Brandon Morrow for a little while.
The Cubs placed the right-hander on the 10day disabled list Wednesday because of lower back tightness, leaving a short-handed bullpen without its most important piece.
While Morrow went on the DL, Yu Darvish threw a simulated game. Manager Joe Maddon said he looked “outstanding,” and the Cubs will see how he feels Thursday before announcing the next step as he works his way back from tendinitis in his right triceps.
Morrow — signed by Chicago to a $21 million, two-year contract in December after helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cubs in the NLCS — has 16 saves in 17 chances.
He hurt his back taking his pants off at home early Monday morning, after the team returned fromst.louis.
“Anybody who’s had a back spasm knows you can pretty much get it doing anything — brushing your teeth, sneezing, picking up a kid,” Morrow said. “I think almost everybody has a story about doing so I just said how I did it.”
Morrow said he’s “pretty comfortable” walking, but feels it when he sits. He said he would have needed a few more days to be ready to pitch.
Omaha: The Detroit Tigers and Kansas
City Royals will play a regular-season game in Omaha the week the 2019 College World Series opens, according to The Associated Press.
Major League Baseball and the NCAA have been working to arrange a game as a kickoff event to the CWS.
A news conference with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was scheduled for Thursday at TD Ameritrade Park, the host site for the CWS.
The move would be similar to the regularseason games played in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Little League World Series.
Umpire: Dutch Rennert, a National League umpire from 1973 to 1992 who was known for his animated, booming strike calls, died. He was 88. Laurence “Dutch” Rennert Jr. worked 2,693 regular-season games plus six NL Championship Series, three World Series, in 1980, ‘83 and ‘89, and two All-star Games.