Chicago Cubs Face Pitching Crisis After Sudden Schedule Change

The Schedule Shake-up

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has expressed his frustration after Major League Baseball rescheduled Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox to Friday. The change was made because of a poor weather forecast.

Now, the Cubs and the Red Sox will play a doubleheader on Friday and finish their regular season on Saturday. Counsell pointed out that moving games forward is highly unusual and disrupts the pitching rotation. "They just moved games up on us," Counsell said. He explained that they cannot have a pitcher ready for Saturday because of the five-day window.

Usually, a rainout means playing a doubleheader the following day, which gives pitchers more rest. This sudden change forces the Cubs to move Saturday's starter to Friday, leaving their pitching plans for the final game uncertain. Lefty starter Shota Imanaga might have to pitch on short rest.

Postseason Pressure and Roster Limits

This scheduling decision comes at a very important time. Both teams are heading to the postseason, which begins on Tuesday. Boston has already secured their spot, while the Cubs need just one more win to clinch theirs before Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins.

Counsell stated that "you get shortchanged" in these situations when trying to balance everyone's interests. He added that the team's season could end while their closest rivals still have two games left to play. To make matters worse, league rules do not allow teams to add an extra player to their roster for doubleheaders in September. This puts a heavy workload on the Cubs' pitching staff.

Bregman Injury Update

In other news, Counsell hopes to have third baseman Alex Bregman back in the lineup this weekend against his former team. Bregman is recovering after being hit in the left cheek by a foul ball on Sunday while on-deck.

Bregman described the injury, saying, "It felt like I got hit by a baseball bat to the face." The left side of his face remains numb, and his left eye is red. He explained that there is fluid in his face, which makes it feel like it is bouncing when he moves.

Bregman is confident he will be ready for the postseason. He will likely return as a designated hitter first, but he needs to run the bases before he can play. Counsell confirmed that Bregman needs to test things out on the field before returning.