Chicago Cubs Place Ian Stewart on the DL

The Cubs can’t catch a break. In a list season it might not matter much, but they still have to field a team. Injuries make that difficult. According to Paul Padilla of ESPN Chicago, the Cubs have placed Ian Stewart on the 15-day disabled list due to discomfort in his left wrist.

The team recalled Luis Valbuena from Triple-A to fill the roster spot. It’s not clear exactly how much time Stewart will be forced to miss.

Stewart was scratched from yesterday’s starting lineup because of the discomfort, and he goes on the DL today as the wrist is not improving. The Cubs have not said if the move would be made retroactively, so it looks like the DL stint officially starts today.

Stewart came to Chicago from the Colorado Rockies in a trade for Tyler Colvin and prospects on both sides. Stewart was drafted by the Rockies 10th overall in the 2003 draft, but the team parted ways with the third baseman in part to shed payroll. The Rockies are rebuilding and look to be spending money on younger players and prospects.

Stewart was hitting .201/.292/.335 in 55 games this year. He only played 48 games for the Rockies last season and hit just .156/.243/.221. He hasn’t had a year in which he was worth a positive WAR since 2010. However, Stewart is a more respectable .232/.319/.417 hitter in his career.

Luis Valbuena has been up and down since being signed by the Seattle Mariners in 2002. He has played 229 Major League games and is a career .226/.286/.344 hitter.

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