Veteran Cubs outfielder Chris Coghlan slowed by shoulder injury

Tommy Birch | The Des Moines Register

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Veteran outfielder Chris Coghlan still hasn’t made his 2018 debut after signing a minor league with the Chicago Cubs back in March.

The reason? Coghlan is recovering from a shoulder injury that has slowed his return, Jaron Madison, Chicago’s director of player development, said Monday.

“He’s still building back up,” Madison said. “He had a shoulder issue with his AC joint so just waiting for that.”

Coghlan, a 32-year-old outfielder, has played in 801 big-league games over the course of nine big-league seasons with the Marlins, Cubs, Athletics and Blue Jays. Coghlan is a career .258 hitter with 53 homers.

He won the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year. Coghlan also spent parts of three seasons with the Cubs including in 2016 when they won the World Series. His last stint in the big leagues came in 2017 when he appeared in 36 games with the Blue Jays.

Coghlan signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs in March but has yet to appear in an affiliated game this season.

“No real timeline for him ... just waiting to see how he feels and taking it step by step, once he gets back to 100 percent,” Madison said.

Madison said he expected Coghlan to be ready at some point this season and could see time again in Iowa. Coghlan appeared in 24 games with Iowa in 2014 and five in 2016 as part of a rehab assignment.

“I think he’d be ready to break at some point this season,” Madison said. “It’s just a matter of opportunity and timing and everything at this point.”

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