Report: Albert Almora Having Injured Hand Examined Further
(CBS) Cubs outfielder Albert Almora's path back to the big leagues may have hit a snag.
Expected to rejoin the Cubs when rosters expand in September, Almora recently visited a specialist to have his injured hand examined further, the Des Moines Register reported Sunday night. The 22-year-old Almora hasn't played at Triple-A Iowa since Aug. 10 and since then has been placed on the disabled list, retroactively to Aug. 11.
It was initially believed that Almora suffered a bruised thumb, but doctors are giving his hand a more thorough look.
"They're going to probably be a little more cautious with Albert," Iowa Cubs manager Marty Pevey told the Register. "He's, as we know, a special player. He had to go see a hand specialist and make sure there wasn't anything more than just a bruise."
As of Sunday evening, Pevey hadn't received final word of Almora's doctor visit.
Almora had a 34-game stint with the Cubs earlier this season and made a good first impression, hitting .265 with two homers, nine RBIs and a .712 OPS with solid defense. He's also proved himself all season at Triple-A, hitting .309 with four homers, 40 RBIs and a .752 OPS in 71 games.
Almora hasn't been with the Iowa Cubs on their recent homestand as he left to see the hand specialist, the Register reported.