MESA, Ariz. – Adbert Alzolay cracked a smile when asked how his curveball had been coming along.
“Oh, it was feeling really, really good,” he said.
But he won’t get the chance to debut it anytime soon. About three and a half weeks ago, Alzolay felt discomfort in his shoulder during a bullpen session. He cut his work short and went to the doctor. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a lat strain, similar to the injury he sustained in 2018.
The rest of the conversation Tuesday took a more somber tone. Alzolay will start the season on the injured list, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer announced on Monday.