ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Will Kevin Gausman be ready for Game 1 of the postseason?
“I don’t know,” the Cubs’ right-hander said Sunday. “That’s a tough [question to answer].”
Jed Hoyer’s front office made Gausman — who banged his left shoulder on a diving tag play last week — the headlining piece of its trade-deadline haul, a suite of win-now moves that showed the belief in a Cubs team capable of winning a championship. In addition to a track record of success in 14 big league seasons, he starred during the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series last year.
But at the most critical time of the year — the time Gausman was acquired for — the Cubs are faced with the possibility he might not be available to start in their opening-round, best-of-three series against the Padres, which begins Tuesday in San Diego.
Gausman threw what he called a “normal-ish” bullpen session Sunday in Florida, describing it as “a step in the right direction.”
“I’m going to go out and give everything I’ve got,” Gausman said. “But if I feel like I can’t give this team a chance to win, or pitch the way I know I can, then I need to be smart and think about these guys and not myself.
“The goal is to get to the World Series, in any shape or form. I’m ready for whatever.”
It’s possible Gausman wouldn’t be the Cubs’ top choice to start Game 1, anyway.
They have several options, lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be on regular rest, among them. Lefty Shota Imanaga threw only 12 pitches in a planned short outing Sunday, keeping him available. By Game 2 on Wednesday, both righty Clay Holmes and lefty David Peterson will be on regular rest, as well.
And then there’s the fact that Gausman hasn’t been as effective as hoped, at times, swinging back and forth between excellent starts and bumpy ones. All told, he had a 4.83 ERA in his nine regular-season starts after coming to the Cubs.
But undoubtedly, of the Cubs’ options, Gausman is among the better ones and, given his experience, the kind of guy you’d want on the mound in a playoff start.
We’ll see if the Cubs will be able to send him out there.
Bregman at third?
After homering twice in Sunday’s win over the Red Sox, Alex Bregman is looking like himself at the plate again.
But after taking a foul ball off the face and suffering multiple facial fractures just a week ago, is he ready to get back in the field, where he’s played Gold Glove caliber third base this season?
“I’ll do whatever [manager Craig Counsell] wants me to do,” Bregman said. “I took ground balls [Saturday]. I’ll take ground balls again [Monday]. I’ll be available for whatever he needs. If he wants me to play wherever, I’m available.
“I want to play third, but I’ll do whatever it takes.”
PCA goes 162
Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong got one at-bat before being removed Sunday, but it counted as his 162nd appearance of the season, another line on his MVP resume.
“That’s a special number,” Counsell said. “He’s done a number of special things this year, but that number is special to players.”
Playoff game times
The league announced start times for postseason games Sunday, and Cubs fans better be ready to stay up late.
Games 1 and 2 of the team’s best-of-three series against the Padres are set for 9 p.m. Central on Tuesday and Wednesday. The start time for an if-necessary Game 3 depends on how many series are still going come Thursday.
