Cubs

The Sun Will Not Come Out, To-Morrow

Brandon Morrow has seemingly spend more time on the injured list than on the field, and that was the case once again this season.

by
Schwartzy
August 22, 2019

In what will come as a surprise to… very few let’s say, Cubs closer* Brandon Morrow will not appear for the Chicago Cubs in the 2019 season. I’m not trying to make light of a bad situation or belittle his contributions to the Cubs, but the writing has always seemed to be on the wall, no matter the optimism associated with any of his updates. It feels like he’s spent more time on the injured list in his career than he hasn’t. He’s batting 1.000 when it comes to the IL.

Cubs' Brandon Morrow Shut Down For Season https://t.co/rSgV2WKUN8 pic.twitter.com/HHauWA2VPH
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) August 21, 2019

It sucks too, the dude was lights out to start his Cubs career. In the 2017-2018 offseason, Morrow was signed to a 3-year, $30 million dollar deal, with the final season including a team option at $12 million or a $3 million buyout. Pretty sure it’s gonna be door number two, so his total hit is $21 million. Not a total bust as he was 22-24 in save chances to accompany a 1.47 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Beautiful.

His injury history and frankly his bad luck with injuries chose to rear its head. Exhibit A:

Baseball injuries!

CUBS CLOSER BRANDON MORROW INJURES BACK WHILE TAKING OFF PANTS: “Just undressing at my house," Morrow told reporters. “It's frustrating any time you can't get out there, especially when you can't go because of something stupid like taking your pants off."
— Adnan Virk (@adnansvirk) June 20, 2018

Warning: not an Onion article.

Exhibit B:

Watch Brandon Morrow discuss his biceps injury which landed him on the DL. https://t.co/RKZGYtqTiP pic.twitter.com/T0MmL0Rjrb
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) July 20, 2018

Those two issues took place barely a month apart. Like I said, it sucks, but it should surprise no one.

He has an injury history, and we knew that going in. That’s part of the calculation when we signed him.
-Theo Epstein end-of-season news conference, October 3rd, 2018

While it’s possible he and the Cubs can come to terms on a show-me deal, I think we may have seen the last of Brandon Morrow in a Cubs uniform. It was great while it lasted. Did you know he once threw a 17K one-hit shutout? Poetically, that one hit came with two outs in the ninth inning while up 1-0, on a misplayed groundball (2:45 in the video below). The man standing on first base after drawing a four-pitch walk in the previous at-bat was now beloved Cub and master of the strike zone Ben Zobrist. The game was against Joe Maddon‘s Tampa Bay Rays. Baseball, man.