CHICAGO – Getting in any bullpen work for major league pitchers at the moment is quite a major league task.
Some have gone as far as ordering a mound, like White Sox pitcher Steve Cishek, while others are thinking outside the box when it comes to pitching at home.
Count Adbert Alzolay as one of those who is “Isolation Inspired.”
The Cubs’ pitcher put a few videos of himself on twitter pitching from a mound which he created at his home.
Made of what looks like wood with wheels on the back and slanted down, Alzolay put some artificial turf on the top along with a pitching mound so he could throw at a nearby park.
The mound certainly does the job, as Alzolay is able to hurl pitches down to his catcher as he tries to keep his arm in shape during Major League Baseball’s postponement for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Signing with the Cubs as an international free agent in 2012, the pitcher worked his way through the Cubs’ minor league system and finally made his debut last season.
In a memorable outing out of the bullpen against the Mets on June 20th, Alzolay pitched four innings and allowed just one run and one hit with five strikeouts. At one point in the contest, he retired 11 consecutive batters.
Five days later, he made his first start with the Cubs, allowing one run and one hit again in 4 2/3 innings against the Braves at Wrigley Field. His next start didn’t fare as well in Pittsburgh, with Alzolay giving up seven runs on 10-hits in an 18-5 loss to the Pirates.
He was sent back to Triple-A Iowa after that, and would make just one more appearance in the big leagues in September. Alzolay hopes to be there a little longer in 2020, whenever the season may start, and he’s putting in the work to make that happen.
