Wieck diagnosed with abnormal heartbeat

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs will be down one of their high-leverage bullpen arms, as the team announced on Thursday that left-hander Brad Wieck underwent a successful cardiac ablation to correct an atrial flutter. Wieck -- whose procedure took place in Chicago on Monday -- arrived in Arizona on Wednesday.

Wieck will rest and be re-evaluated next week before the team can update his timeline for a return to baseball activities. Doctors were alerted during Wieck’s pre-camp physical as his electrocardiogram (EKG) showed Wieck’s abnormal heartbeat. His subsequent evaluation with the team’s cardiologist revealed the atrial flutter.

“The good thing is he’s back. He’s had the surgery. He’ll be back tomorrow. Take that thing day-to-day and see how he’s doing, see how he’s feeling and get some more feedback from the docs as things progress,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “That’s why we do those physicals early on. Kudos to Dr. [Stephen] Adams for being on top of things and making sure [Brad] is going to be alright.”

The 28-year-old Wieck made a name for himself with the Cubs last season after being acquired from the Padres at the July 31 Trade Deadline. Wieck made 14 appearances for the North Siders, going 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA over 10 innings with 18 strikeouts and just four walks. The left-hander was expected to be part of the team’s new-look bullpen as a late-inning option with Rowan Wick, Kyle Ryan, Jeremy Jeffress and closer Craig Kimbrel.

While it’s not impossible, Wieck's inclusion on the Opening Day 26-man roster may be a long shot, considering he must go through rehab and begin a throwing program with the start of the season only a few weeks away.

“It seems to be a fairly common procedure. All signs are pointing to him having a nice, healthy recovery,” Ross said. “I’m not going to put any limitations on him or us. I’m going to just let it play out. I think we’re going to have a better view about a week in. There’s no such thing as minor surgery. I haven’t gotten a chance to talk with him yet, but he’ll be here tomorrow and I’ll have a conversation with him and see how he’s feeling.”

Ross expecting Cubs to be prepared
Shortstop Javier Báez discussed his lack of preparedness at times last season earlier this spring in terms of his preparation during games. While the onus is ultimately on the player to be ready at first pitch, Ross is hoping his open communication with his team helps to ensure his players are prepared whether they are in the lineup or not.

“That’s just being a professional. Just come to work and be ready. I think these guys are ready up and down the lineup,” Ross said. “But I do want to create a consistent theme of what these guys expect and communicate to them. It’s like being a backup catcher. I was that guy. The days I was starting, I would try to give that starter a true rest. If it was a guy like Brian McCann that I was backing up and [he] had the day off and we were losing, he's probably going to hit because it's Brian McCann in the box.

“That’s something you communicate to a guy like Willy [Willson Contreras] on a day off. You say, ‘Hey Willy, I might need you in a tight one here. I know it’s your day off, but if you see this thing staying close and it’s the sixth inning, start to get your body loose.’ Just establishing those communication lines and let them know where they stand in those areas.”

They said it
“I think that the way he’s going about it, the way he looks at the lineup might be a bit different, but that’s out of my control. We’ve talked about it. They’ll be times when [moving around] is necessary, maybe late in games if different things happen. So it’s just a matter of who the guys are out there and how it all fits. -- Cubs center fielder Ian Happ, on Ross’ approach to versatility

Up next
Tyler Chatwood is scheduled to make his second start of the spring on Friday when the Cubs take on the Padres at 7:40 p.m. CT in Peoria, Ariz. Chatwood looks to follow up a solid Cactus League debut and continue to hold on as the frontrunner to be the Cubs’ fifth starter. The game will be available on MLB.TV and Marquee Sports Network.