Cubs’ Wade Miley leaves start vs. Pirates with tight left oblique

PITTSBURGH — Cubs pitcher Wade Miley pointed to his left side as he walked off the field in the fifth inning of the Cubs’ 6-0 loss to the Pirates on Saturday. The team later announced he had exited with a tight left oblique.

“I’ve torn my right one before,” Miley said, referring to an injury that sidelined him for two months in 2018. “I was stubborn the first time I did it. And I felt pretty much what I felt today on my right side, and then I tried to throw another pitch and just made it 10 weeks instead of two weeks. So I tried to do the smart thing here, and hopefully tomorrow it’ll feel a little better, and we’ll just see where it goes.”

With no outs and a runner on first, Pirates outfielder Greg Allen laid down a bunt to the first-base side. Miley charged, scooped up the ball and fired to second base. He said as he turned, he felt a “grab” on the back of his left side.

His throw sailed wide and into center field.

“It was just a weird position I was in,” Miley said. “I looked and saw I had a play at second and figured I would take it, and it just got me.”

It was almost immediately clear that something was wrong. Head athletic trainer PJ Mainville went to check on Miley, and the veteran southpaw exited the game.

Miley said the area around his left oblique had never bothered him before. His season has been plagued by arm injuries. Saturday marked his eighth start and fourth since returning from the 60-day injured list (strained right shoulder) on Sept. 6.

“That’s probably the best I’ve felt arm-wise, heck, in a while — probably since the Yankees game,” Miley said, referring to the game June 10, when he returned from the IL only to hurt his shoulder again three innings into his start. “Made a few adjustments with Tommy [Hottovy, pitching coach,] and [assistant pitching coach Daniel] Moskos. I felt like I was throwing the ball really well.”

On Saturday, Miley gave up a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly but then retired seven in a row.

The Cubs still trailed by one when he left the game. Miley was charged with three runs in all, after Adbert Alzolay replaced him and gave up a two-run double, but only the first was earned.

“This guy’s worked extremely hard,” manager David Ross said, “and he’s had a good attitude in the way he’s gone about his business. Really good way about how he was pitching today. The stuff looked good, the rhythm was good, using both sides of the plate.

“We were over there talking about how much fun it is to watch him pitch and go about his business.”

Brault pulled from rehab

Lefty Steven Brault (left shoulder strain) is set to leave his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa to be evaluated in Chicago. His shoulder didn’t respond well after his last outing, according to the team. In two games, he hasn’t recorded an out while allowing a combined eight runs.