SAN FRANCISCO – Cubs reliever Mark Leiter Jr. is in his second full season as a high-leverage reliever. And last year presented a lesson on how to manage 162 games in that role.
‘‘Saying something now instead of just continuing to go out there and try to battle through things,’’ Leiter said before the Giants rallied for three runs in the ninth inning Monday to defeat the Cubs 5-4 and deny left-hander Justin Steele, who allowed two runs and struck out nine in 7⅓ innings, his first victory of the season. ‘‘I think the hardest thing is just knowing, as a relief pitcher, what’s too much and what’s normal.’’
The Cubs put Leiter on the 15-day injured list (strained right forearm) Sunday before their game against the Mets. Manager Craig Counsell said that night that he hoped Leiter would only need a minimum stay on the IL.
“My forearm wasn’t really responding the same way that it had been,” Leiter said. “Each time, recovering a little less and less. So just needed to let it settle down for a few days.”
Almonte paused
The Cubs are seeking another opinion on reliever Yency Almonte‘s right shoulder injury to “figure out why we’re getting stuck here,” Counsell said.
Almonte got through his live batting practice session last Tuesday but was symptomatic.
“We have to find out whether medically there’s something we have to address,” Counsell said, “or we just have to take a different path on the rehab.”
This and that
- Cubs pitcher Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture) and Caleb Kilian (strained right shoulder) have advanced to the live batting practice portion of their throwing programs in Arizona.
- The Cubs are hoping Ben Brown (neck) will progress to throwing off a mound in San Francisco this week.
- Major League Baseball announced on Monday that it had issued a 10-day suspension and fine to Mets pitcher Edwin Díaz for violating the foreign substance rules. He was ejected after a sticky stuff check Sunday as he entered the Cubs’ 5-2 loss to the Mets at Wrigley Field. He’ll have the option to appeal.
- In MLB’s second All-Star balloting update, which it released Monday, outfielder Cody Bellinger still led the Cubs, with 556,912 votes, good for No. 8 among National League outfielders.
