SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Cubs left-hander Wade Miley and shortstop Andrelton Simmons are expected to open the season on the injured list.
The Cubs announced Friday that Miley would be shutting down for 10 days before resuming his throwing program. He was having soreness in his left elbow, so he underwent an MRI exam, which revealed inflammation in the joint.
‘‘I think he was pretty good when he came in [to camp],’’ Cubs manager David Ross said. ‘‘But it was one of those things [that] started a little uncomfortable and then just wasn’t going away.’’
Miley’s discomfort started in his windup, when his arms went over his head, Ross said. He described the MRI as ‘‘precautionary’’ after Miley felt the discomfort on his release, too.
Though Ross said he’s ‘‘not too concerned,’’ Miley’s early recovery timeline suggests a delay of more than just a few weeks. There is no solid timetable for his return, but he still will have to build up his innings once he resumes throwing.
Before the Cubs decided to rest his arm, Miley threw live batting practice for the first time this spring Sunday.
‘‘Felt really good about his live,’’ Ross said, echoing what Miley had said Sunday. ‘‘It looked really good from all our standpoints. [But] when you have something when you start competing, the more you ramp up and things start to just not go away, we just want to make sure it’s not getting worse.’’
Simmons has been on a throwing program for soreness in his right shoulder. He was scheduled to play light catch Friday.
‘‘It’s not looking good, is it?’’ Ross said of Simmons’ timeline, with less than a week before Opening Day on Thursday. ‘‘He’s definitely behind. He’s done a good job of continuing to take some at-bats, working on his swing. So when that shoulder feels a little bit better, he should be able to hit the ground running.’’
Madrigal out with leg fatigue
Second baseman Nick Madrigal was scheduled to lead off against the Diamondbacks on Friday, when the Cubs played split-squad games against them and the Brewers. But the Cubs held him out of the lineup, citing leg fatigue.
The team characterized Madrigal’s absence as a precaution. He missed most of last season with a torn right hamstring.
