According to multiple reports, Jake Arrieta will start Wednesday’s finale of the three-game series in Cincinnati. Rick Renteria said last week that Carlos Villanueva would start Wednesday’s game against the Reds, but that does not appear to be the case.
The Cubs will activate Jake Arrieta from the DL and move Carlos Villanueva to the bullpen. The Cubs will have to make another roster move in order to have room on the 25-man roster for Arrieta. Rick Renteria said the team planned to stick with an eight-man bullpen for a while, if that is the case, Brian Schlitter could be on his way back to Iowa.
Jake Arrieta would be starting on short rest if he pitches Wednesday’s finale. The Cubs could be looking at his last outing as a throw-day considering he completed only two innings and threw 44 pitches.
Updated 4:11pm CDT – Rick Renteria confirmed Jake Arrieta will start Wednesday in Cincinnati.
Jake Arrieta made his fifth and final rehab start last Saturday. Arrieta pitched two innings for Double-A Tennessee and caught up with the team on Monday in Cincinnati. According to reports, Arrieta completed a successful side session on Monday and told the beat writers he was ready to be activated from the disabled list.
The Cubs have not confirmed the reports that Jake Arrieta will make his 2014 debut on Wednesday.
When Arrieta replaces Villanueva in the rotation, the Cubs will have a much-needed longman in the pen that will hopefully be used the right way this year. Until the Cubs add a position player to the active roster, Villanueva will be added to a bullpen that should include Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Neil Ramirez, Justin Grimm, Wesley Wright, James Russell and Zac Rosscup.
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