Cubs right-hander Julian Merryweather will likely be present process knee surgical procedure tomorrow, says supervisor Craig Counsell. As relayed by Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune on X, it is going to be a proper patellar tendon debridement. The skipper says Merryweather is predicted to be prepared by Spring Coaching. The pitcher himself says the rehab course of will take three months, per Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM on X.
Merryweather appeared to develop right into a key bullpen arm for the Cubs final yr, as he tossed 72 innings with a 3.38 earned run common. His 11.9% stroll charge was on the excessive facet however he punched out 32.3% of batters confronted. He moved right into a leverage function for the membership, securing two saves and 17 holds.
He wasn’t in a position to carry that over into 2024. He missed over three months attributable to a rib stress fracture and landed on the IL a second time final month attributable to proper knee tendinitis, with the latter subject now requiring season-ending surgical procedure. Round these illnesses, he tossed 15 innings with a 6.60 ERA. There was most likely some dangerous luck in there, as his .375 batting common on balls in play and 63.3% strand charge this yr had been each on the unlucky facet, however his strikeout charge additionally plummeted to 18.9%.
The righty has at all times been a tantalizing arm because of his excessive 90s velocity, however well being has usually been an impediment. The Blue Jays acquired him from Cleveland because the return for Josh Donaldson in 2018, although Merryweather was recovering from present process Tommy John surgical procedure earlier that yr. He made his huge league debut in 2020 however has since gone on the injured record for proper elbow tendinitis, a left indirect pressure and a left stomach pressure. The 2023 season is the one one through which he’s been in a position to throw at the least 27 innings.
Merryweather reached arbitration for the primary time final winter. He and the Cubs agreed to a wage of $1.175MM for 2024. He’ll be due a elevate for subsequent yr nevertheless it received’t be enormous, on account of his restricted workload this yr. He is also retained through arbitration for 2026, earlier than he’s slated to succeed in free company. He’ll flip 33 years previous subsequent month.
