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Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

meghan montemurro, chicago tribune
·4 min read
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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 4/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 6/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 7/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 8/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 9/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 12/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 13/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 14/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 17/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

  • 19/20

    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

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    Kyle Hendricks is scratched from his start 90 minutes before first pitch as the Chicago Cubs put a 4th player on the COVID-19 injured list

Looking to get back on track and build momentum, the Chicago Cubs were slated to send their ace pitcher to the mound Tuesday night.

For a team on a three-game losing streak and losers in five of six, right-hander Kyle Hendricks needed to be their stopper. However, 90 minutes before first pitch, right-hander Alec Mills learned he might start against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Those plans solidified 30 minutes later, when Mills was informed Hendricks got scratched from his start. The Cubs made the move out of an abundance of caution because Hendricks wasn’t feeling well, forcing Mills into action. He kept the Cubs in the game, holding the Brewers to two runs in four innings in a 3-2 win.

“Sometimes it’s a good thing, you kind of are able to just forget about thinking about it and just really go out there and pitch and not stress too much throughout the day,” Mills said. “It was a good team win, that’s for sure.”

Hendricks’ COVID-19 test came back negative before the game, but the Cubs didn’t want to chance anything. Manager David Ross said it’s wait and see as to whether Hendricks will go on the COVID-19-related injured list. Hendricks is under the weather and they want to be cautious.

Right-hander Jake Arrieta will start Wednesday’s series finale. The Cubs will reassess the rotation after a day off Thursday and determine how they want to align the staff for the weekend series versus the Atlanta Braves.

“Anybody with a little something right now, we’re going to scratch and get them out here,” Ross said.

The pitching change occurred hours after a fourth Cubs player landed on the COVID-19 IL. Before Tuesday’s game, the Cubs put infielder Matt Duffy on the list and selected infielder Ildemaro Vargas as a replacement player from the South Bend, Ind., alternate site.

The Cubs placed right-handed relievers Brandon Workman, Jason Adam and Dan Winkler on the COVID-19 IL on Monday. Players can go on the list if they have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and can remain on it as long as needed.

None of the four players on the COVID-19 IL has tested positive, Ross said Tuesday. The Cubs are being extra vigilant with protocols, so if someone is experiencing one of the COVID-19 symptoms — such as a headache, runny nose or body aches — they are erring on the side of caution.

“This goes in general for the guys that are on this list,” Ross said. “This is not any specific person, but there’s been some guys dealing with some symptoms that we want to be cautious about.”

Monday’s roster moves came after the team announced bullpen coach Chris Young tested positive. He became the second Cubs coach to register a positive test. First base coach Craig Driver did not join the team for its series in Pittsburgh and later tested positive. The Cubs have been undergoing daily testing since last Wednesday.

Young has received both of his vaccine shots and as of Sunday was two weeks past his second shot, making him inoculated; however, he seemingly caught the virus before then. Driver had gotten one of his two shots before testing positive. The coaches gave Ross the OK to discuss their medical situations publicly. Young is not experiencing any symptoms.

It’s unclear whether any players who are undecided about receiving the vaccine have changed their minds in light of Driver’s and Young’s positive tests. Because they have to wait until they’re back in Chicago to get the vaccine, Ross said the topic hasn’t come up while the team has been in Milwaukee.

Ross felt it was important to share the information on behalf of Young and Driver because he wants to show the Cubs are taking this seriously and trying to get Tier 1 personnel vaccinated.

“They don’t want to scare anybody,” Ross said. “They think the fact that they’ve had the shot is actually a positive and would recommend everybody to get the shot. ... They think the reason why they feel as good as they do is because they’ve had some version of the shot.”