You don’t ever want to jump the gun, even where all the logic and evidence points in a particular direction.
So while I won’t say it is a MORTAL LOCK that lefty pitching prospect Jordan Wicks is coming up this weekend to make his big league debut for the Cubs, I will say that every shred of logic and evidence out there indicates he is. From his healthy scratch this week at Iowa to Jed Hoyer’s comments about Drew Smyly moving back into the bullpen, and now to🥂 this:
So that’s just about that. Barring some significant change, Wicks will indeed be starting for the big league Cubs this weekend. Which is awesome.
Wicks, 23, was the Cubs’ first rounder in 2021, and started the season at Double-A Tennessee, where he mostly cruised. After a promotion to Triple-A Iowa, Wicks settled himself in, and has posted a 2.29 ERA over his last four starts. He looked especially nasty last time out:
Although Wicks is not yet on the 40-man roster, there is an open spot, so he can be called up without issue. He’ll just have to bump someone off the active 26-man roster.
While you are advised not to expect Wicks to come up and dominate, he does have the stuff and makeup to give the Cubs a competitive outing. Because he was not Rule 5 eligible until after next season, the Cubs are using up a 40-man spot on him an offseason before they had to. That tells me they really do believe he can be solid, and are already presuming he’ll be a part of the 2024 Cubs team, at least in an up-down role.
I’m very ready to watch. More on Wicks soon.
