Cubs’ Almonte set for surgery, out for season

CHICAGO — Cubs reliever Yency Almonte will undergo right shoulder surgery for a labrum tear and miss the rest of the 2024 season.

Almonte, 30, has been out since May after appearing in 17 games in his first season with Chicago. He was acquired along with infielder Michael Busch in a trade in January with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He compiled a 3.45 ERA over 15⅔ innings, giving up one home run and striking out 20.

“I’ve been able to pitch through it and finally it just went,” Almonte said Saturday.

The injury came as Almonte was beginning to find his groove with his new team. He hadn’t been scored upon in 11 of 12 appearances after early struggles in March and April.

Almonte was hoping the time off would heal his injury but a second opinion led him to the decision to have surgery. The seven-year veteran is also hopeful his timeline for a return will come in less than 12 months.

“This is the first big injury of my career,” he said. “It’s a little upsetting but it’s part of what you have to go through.”