AND UPDATE AGAIN–Now it’s another 180. The Cubs sent for Rowan on Saturday so he’s back in the Bigs. Didn’t pitch on the weekend but he’s primed and ready, armed with a 95-96 heater and a piercing breaking ball. He says his arm feels great and he threw a light bull pen Sunday night in LA.
UPDATE–Whoops! After pitching one inning the Cubs sent Rowan back to Iowa and AAA. This seems strange. Yes, he gave up a run, but his stuff was blue chip and he looked very much at home. I’m sure he’ll be back soon..but it sure gets frustrating.
ROWAN’S BACK WHERE HE BELONGS
“Dave, I’m going to The Show today”
As a coach those words echo and resonate through your brain like a hurricane.
I talked to Rowan Wick on Tuesday and he definitely was not a Happy Young Man. To say he was frustrated pitching in Triple A would be like calling the Second World War a downer.
But then there was Wednesday. And the text. “Dave, I’m going to The Show today.”
Rowan is back where he belongs. In the big leagues.
On Thursday he mounted up at Wrigley and took the hill for the Cubs. On paper it does not look like an auspicious return to the majors—but Paper Doesn’t Play.
In fact, it was very impressive.
When Jon Lester got shelled by the Phillies it was time for Rowan to take over in the fifth.
Unfortunately, he missed Bryce Harper but he opened with Rhys Hoskins, the dude who has Harper’s back and is one of the toughest outs in the National League.
Rowan was wide with a pair of fastballs but Hoskins swung through 95 and 96 heat to even the count. And then he drilled a shot down the line that was knocked down by third baseman David Bote for an infield hit. The only ball hit hard in the inning.
Rowan then got J.T. Realmuto, quite possibly the best catcher in the game, to fly out to Jason Heyward in right on another 96 mph Missile Heatseeker. He was on his way.
