Ian Stewart will miss Opening Day. The Chicago Cubs had re-signed the 27-year-old this winter hoping that he would take the reigns of the third base job.
Stewart has spent a good portion of his brief major league career on the disabled list. Last season he missed time with a wrist injury.
A recent MRI showed fluid in the left quad of Stewart. Owed $2 million for the season the Cubs could save $1.5 million of that by cutting him before Opening Day.
“I know what it’s like to play through pain,” Stewart told the Chicago Tribune. “That’s what’s hard about this. I can’t get through that pain and play with it. It’s just too much.”
Luis Valbuena will be the Cubs starting third basemen when Opening Day comes around.