Cubs News: Brandon Morrow injury update |
CHICAGO — Unfortunately for Chicago Cubs reliever
Brandon Morrow, his attempt at making a late-season return from a lengthy injury recovery ended on Wednesday, with Morrow being shut down for the remainder of the season. When Cubs President of Baseball Operations
Theo Epstein addressed the media on Wednesday afternoon, he revealed that Morrow had suffered a setback to his pitching elbow and would therefore not pitch in 2019.
It was already a long shot for Morrow, who has not pitched in a game for the Cubs since last July due to multiple elbow procedures, to be able to suit up for the Cubs this year, but he had reportedly been progressing well while working through his rehab at the Cubs' Arizona facility. Epstein broke the bad news, though, by reporting that Morrow had fallen victim to another one of the many setbacks that he has dealt with along his tumultuous road to recovery. "Brandon Morrow had another setback in his progression," Epstein told the press. "At this point, it's safe to say that he's done for the year. A likely next step for him will be a radial nerve release and decompression." Sadly, more surgery is in Morrow's future, and there is a chance that the 35-year-old Morrow will never pitch in the big leagues again. Morrow has struggled with injury issues throughout a sizable portion of his career, and the Cubs will likely buy out the final year of Morrow's contract in the offseason, thus bringing to an end a Cubs tenure that started off with plenty of promise in the spring of 2018 and proceeded to fall apart due to a significant elbow issue. "He certainly worked really hard in an attempt to come back," Epstein said of Morrow, "and tried a lot of different techniques and procedures. He just wasn't able to get over the hump." Epstein went on to describe signing Morrow as a "calculated risk" on his part that simply did not pan out because Morrow could not shake off his injury woes. Morrow recorded 22 saves in 35 appearances for the Cubs last season. Morrow's deal has a team option worth $12 million for the 2020 season, but the Cubs are almost certain to buy it out, which will cost the franchise $3 million and make Morrow a free agent. Theo on Morrow’s season-ending injury pic.twitter.com/mnBcdOuWTA
