With injuries to both Derrek Lee and Mark DeRosa, the Chicago Cubs added some infield insurance with the call up of Mike Fontenot from Triple A Iowa today.
Lee, who leads the National League with a .390 batting average, has been bothered by neck spasms since Saturday’s contest against the Phillies. The injury is believed to have occurred when Lee slid into second base.
The Cubs first baseman returned to Chicago on Monday for an MRI. His status is uncertain pending the results.
DeRosa, meanwhile, strained a ligament in his right hand filling in at first for the injured Lee. Endy Chavez of the Mets ran into DeRosa on a bunt single causing the injury to occur.
Neither player has been placed on the disabled list, and DeRosa was suited up and available for play in tonight’s game. Â Gripping a bat seems the biggest hindrance to DeRosa returning to the Cubs’ lineup.
Fontenot, meanwhile, returns to the Cubs after a brief stint in 2005. Fontentot came to Chicago as part of the Sammy Sosa trade. In 35 games this season at Iowa, Fontenot was hitting .364 with six homers and 27 RBIs. He was named the Pacific Coast League’s player of the week Monday.
In Tuesday’s 10-1 win over the Mets, Fontenot connected for a double in his only at-bat, and later scored on Michael Barrett’s double.
To make room for Fontenot, the Cubs reduced their relief corps, optioning Rocky Cherry to Iowa. Cherry appeared in eight games for the Cubs. He has a 1-1 record with a 2.89 ERA.
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