The Chicago Cubs reinstated right-handed reliever Gavin Hollowell from the 15-day injured list Friday, returning the 28-year-old to the major-league bullpen after nearly two months away with right shoulder inflammation, via the MLB transaction log.
Hollowell was placed on the IL on July 31 after the issue flared during a series in St. Louis.
He had thrown a scoreless inning the night before against the Cardinals, but the shoulder did not bounce back. Before the injury, he had been a useful piece in Chicago’s relief mix: 14 appearances, a 2.51 ERA, one save, 13 strikeouts and eight walks over 14 1/3 innings.
The 6-foot-7 Somerset, N.J., native began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Sept. 5 and made four appearances before the club cleared him. The corresponding roster move was not another pitcher coming off the IL.
Instead, the Cubs placed right-hander Edward Cabrera on the family medical emergency list, opening the 26-man roster spot Hollowell now occupies.
The timing matters. Chicago sits at 88-71 and second in the National League Central heading into the final weekend of the regular season, with a series against the Boston Red Sox.
Adding a healthy arm is useful insurance as the club tries to lock in postseason positioning.
Hollowell is not a high-leverage closer, but he gives manager Craig Counsell another right-handed option for middle innings after a season of bullpen shuffling that included multiple option moves and injuries.
Hollowell’s path this year has been typical of a depth reliever.
He bounced between Chicago and Iowa several times in June, was recalled when Ethan Roberts went on the IL, and then carved out a modest role before the shoulder problem ended that stretch.
A first save of the season on July 25 showed he could handle a late-inning look when needed. The question now is whether the shoulder holds up over the next week and, if the Cubs reach October, whether he is even on the postseason roster.
For now, the move is straightforward: a pitcher who posted a usable ERA before getting hurt is healthy again, and the club needed a body after Cabrera stepped away.
Hollowell’s stuff and size give him a chance to miss bats if command is there. If the walk rate from earlier in the year returns, Counsell will likely keep him in lower-leverage spots.
The Cubs get a familiar arm back at the moment they need every available pitcher. Hollowell’s job is to stay healthy and give Chicago clean innings as the regular season closes.
