Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman lands on the IL with right hip inflammation: ‘I’m not even slightly worried’

Marcus Stroman’s start Monday was the tipping point in his quest to stay on the field.

Stroman’s effort to pitch through lingering hip inflammation ultimately landed him on the injured list Wednesday with what the right-hander and the Chicago Cubs view as a key step to getting him healthy and back to his previous form. Stroman received a cortisone shot in his right hip and the hope is he will miss only one start while on the 15-day IL because of three upcoming off days.

“I’ve been trying to change mechanics and do a lot of things, honestly, to try to get around it,” Stroman said Wednesday before the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 16-6 at Wrigley Field.

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“I felt like I had to do so much, essentially just throwing all upper body and arms. ... Taking the break and getting into the weight room and doing what I need to do, I feel like it’s going to springboard me and put me where I was and where I need to be.”

In Monday’s loss to the Reds, Stroman allowed six runs in three innings, causing his ERA to balloon to 9.00 over his last seven starts. In that outing, Stroman said he felt like he had “zero lower half.”

“In the first inning last game I felt like I was in inning eight or nine,” Stroman said. “Normally I’m telling myself to pitch at 80-85% as far as being fluid, I felt like I was having to ramp up to way past 100% just on a regular pitch so that’s where I knew that I just needed to address it and get it right.

“I’m smaller guy, I use my hips pretty well so at times they get pretty fatigued and worn down.”

Stroman called it “beyond frustrating” that he wasn’t able to get the results he wanted over the last five weeks. He doesn’t believe the lead-up to the trade deadline weighed on him or correlated to his struggles, adding: “I’m in a great space mentally — I’m very conscious of how the deadline works and I’m not someone who’s scared of it or I wasn’t in a position where I was going to be in a super negative place if I were to get traded.”

“I just had to go to the root of the problem rather than trying to get around it,” Stroman said of his hip inflammation. “I’m not even slightly worried. I know after this I’m going to feel strong.”

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The Cubs added right-handed reliever José Cuas to the roster as the corresponding move. Cuas was acquired from the Kansas Royals on Monday for outfielder Nelson Velázquez. Cuas utilizes a three-fourths slow arm slot, giving the Cubs a unique look out of the bullpen. Manager David Ross said Wednesday that he doesn’t anticipate using Cuas in leverage spots right away.