Cubs bullpen will take another hit if Neil Ramirez goes down

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The Cubs already had a reliever on their wish list for the July 31 trade deadline. The mystery surrounding Neil Ramirez could add to that sense of urgency.

Ramirez, who looked like an elite setup guy as a rookie last year, hasn’t pitched since Saturday and had another apparent setback after missing more than two months with right shoulder inflammation.

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“He was not OK tonight,” manager Joe Maddon said after Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. “That’s why I could not use him. I got to go and find out more about that, because I really don’t want to use (Rafael) Soriano or (Jason) Motte tonight. Absolutely not.”

The Cubs should have a better idea by Wednesday, but Maddon didn’t rule out the possibility this could be a disabled-list situation for Ramirez, who felt something while warming up.

“I have to go talk to the trainers and find out,” Maddon said, “because he was unable to pitch tonight.”

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Ramirez put up a 1.44 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 43-plus innings last season, fueling hopes the Cubs could give their creative manager a dominant bullpen with several mix-and-match pieces.

During Maddon’s pregame media session, a reporter asked about using Ramirez in more high-leverage situations now.

“I don’t see him as being really ready or comfortable for that right yet,” Maddon said. “He’s still not where he needs to be, or wants to be yet. He’ll be the first guy to tell you that. I don’t want to put him in an uncomfortable moment for him, or for us.”

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