Ryan Dempster Will Start For Cubs Sunday

Cubs righthander Ryan Dempster has been on the disabled list since June 18 with a lat injury. At first, he was supposed to miss just two starts. Then, the Cubs wanted to hold him out until after the All-Star break, presumably to protect his trade value.

Dempster had been throwing, first off flat ground, then off a mound, and began to lobby manager Dale Sveum to start on Sunday. He won that argument:

Dempster to start Sunday for #Cubs

— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) July 6, 2012

No roster move has yet been announced, but Chris Volstad had been penciled in to start Sunday; it’s likely that Volstad will be optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room for Dempster.

Dempster has been one of the best starters in the National League this year — when healthy, that is. He’s had two DL stints, but in the 12 starts he has made, he’s posted a 2.11 ERA and 1.025 WHIP. With the Cubs far out of contention and Dempster in a contract year, he’s likely to be traded by July 31. Expect multiple sightings of scouts from other teams at Sunday’s game.

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Ryan Dempster Will Miss At Least Two More Starts

Ryan Dempster was supposed to miss just one or two starts with a lat injury he apparently suffered in May, and made worse earlier in June.

His rotation spot comes up again Tuesday, and he’ll miss that (Randy Wells will start in his absence), and he’d be eligible to come off the DL Sunday — but now won’t make that date. Doug Padilla:

Indications are that Dempster will miss at least one more start after Tuesday and then return on the club’s final road trip of the first half, possibly during the July 6-8 series at New York against the Mets.

Dempster did throw off flat ground Monday, a session where he experienced no discomfort, according to manager Dale Sveum.

When healthy this year, Dempster has been one of the best starters in the National League and with the Cubs mired in last place, he was expected to draw trade interest from multiple teams who need starting pitching.

Now, those teams, and all the rumor mill tweeters, will simply have to wait.

For more on the Cubs, please visit Bleed Cubbie Blue and SB Nation Chicago.

Ryan Dempster On DL With Lat Injury

Just as Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster's trade value was soaring, he's come down with lat discomfort. Textbook Cubs.