How Brandon Hughes’ knee inflammation could affect Cubs’ bullpen decisions

MESA, Ariz. — Brandon Hughes, the only left-handed reliever on the Cubs’ 40-man roster, has been dealing with what the team described as inflammation in his left knee.

He last pitched in a game a week ago, and manager David Ross said the Cubs hope to get Hughes back on the mound late this weekend. Spring training ends Tuesday.

“But I don’t want to set timetables, either,” Ross said. “It’s about not getting reaggravated and lingering for a long time.”

Hughes has been dealing with the knee issue off and on through at least spring training, Ross said. That likely explains Hughes’ struggles in his last two outings. He allowed five hits and three runs in two innings after two hitless outings to begin Cactus League play.

He was a little behind most of the Cubs’ relievers entering camp, making his first appearance about a week into spring games. Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said then that the team was cognizant during Hughes’ ramp-up that he was coming off the highest workload of any season in his career. This year, if he can stay healthy, they’ll ask even more of him.

“I’m ready for it, though,” Hughes said. “I’m ready for any challenge.”

Asked if the Cubs hope to avoid putting Hughes on the injured list to start the year, Ross said: “We always try to hope. . . . He’s a really important piece for us, but we’re going to do what’s right by him for the season.”

Does Hughes expect to be ready by Opening Day?

“I don’t know the exact timetable,” he said. “They’re taking it day by day. So I guess we’ll see on that.”

If Hughes isn’t back by Opening Day, Ross said he’d be comfortable starting the season with an all-right-handed bullpen.

“We have righties in camp that can get lefties out at a high rate with a high [punch-out] rate,” Ross said. “So we have options. And we have some good lefties that are in camp, as well.”

Non-roster invitee Mark Leiter Jr. is the obvious right-hander with a strong track record against left-handed batters. Last year, he held left-handed hitters to a .176 batting average, with a 3.91 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The Cubs made another round of camp cuts Thursday but held on to three left-handed non-roster invitees: Ryan Borucki, Roenis Elias and Anthony Kay.

“We’ve got a lot of good arms in camp, guys that are throwing the ball well — guys that are on the 40-man, guys that are off the 40-man,” Ross said. “And those are really hard decisions. We don’t take those lightly. But, at the end of the day, some really good pitchers won’t make the team.”

Over the course of the season, Hughes is expected to be a major contributor, whether he begins the season on the IL or not.

Ross uses Hughes’ rookie year as an example of how many players beyond the Opening Day roster can have an impact during a season. Hughes wasn’t invited to major-league camp in 2022. He made one Cactus League appearance, throwing a perfect inning against the Rockies.

“It’s kind of crazy because I remember being a little bit [ticked] off inside about not getting opportunities in spring training,” he said. “I just got the one, then they shipped me off to Double-A.”

He pushed that frustration aside — “I can’t do anything about that” — and made his quick ascent through the system. Hughes made his major-league debut less than six weeks after Opening Day. By the second half of the season, he was sharing the closer role, picking up eight saves.

“It’s always fun to look back on that one,” he said, “but I’m ready to continue that and have a good 2023, lock it in.”