Recapping the Latest Chicago Cubs Roster Moves
The Chicago Cubs made a series of roster moves ahead of Monday night's Crosstown Classic, reshaping their pitching staff and infield while accounting for injuries to Dansby Swanson and Edward Cabrera.
Video Transcript
Lost in the excitement of the Crosstown Classic were some roster moves made by the Chicago Cubs prior to Monday's game with the White Sox, a series of transactions to account for injuries, including Dansby Swanson landing on the IL.
An oblique strain, four to six weeks for Swanson.
Cubs hoping it's closer to four weeks than six weeks, but the primary focus, make sure he returns healthy for a postseason series.
Heading to the IL alongside Swanson, Edward Cabrera.
He went on the injured list with a right middle finger blister.
For the second time, a blister lands him on the IL this season.
Cabrera's third overall IL stint of the year and his future very much in question right now.
A five sixty-eight ERA over fifteen starts is not good enough.
The Cubs probably not using him in the starting rotation for the rest of the season, but because of that blister, he goes to the IL.
And because he goes to the IL, the Cubs get an exception to replace him on the roster with Javier Assad just one day after optioning Assad to triple A.
He rejoined the Cubs.
He warmed in the bullpen on Monday night but did not pitch.
Maybe Assad, maybe David Peterson gonna take up a spot in the starting rotation moving forward as the Cubs look to finalize their rotation.
The Cubs also replaced James Triantos with outfielder Kevin Alcantara.
Triantos called up on July twenty-fourth, made his MLB debut July twenty-fifth, recorded his first MLB at bat and a hit in his first at bat.
But that's his only hit to date.
He's played in seven games and gone one for nine at the plate since then.
Pedro Ramirez is gonna be the second baseman for the time being.
The Cubs wanted a defensive-minded infielder to come up off the bench to be a late game replacement for Ramirez, and so they also purchased the contract of Owen Miller while going with Alcantara off the bench for that offensive upside.
Owen Miller had his contract purchased, which means they needed to fill a spot on the forty-man roster, and that's why the Cubs moved Daniel Palencia to the sixty-day IL to free up that forty-man spot.
So Matt Shaw could return soon.
Daniel Palencia could return soon.
That would shake things up.
But for the time being, this is the group the Cubs are going with after a recent series of roster moves.
In the m-- words of manager Craig Counsell, "It's go time, and it's all hands on deck."
