Cubs make a flurry of roster moves including Stroman to IL |
NEW YORK – The Chicago Cubs today activated left-handed pitcher Wade Miley off the 15-day injured list, activated both catcher Yan Gomes and infielder Jonathan Villar off the 10-day injured list, and reinstated right-handed pitcher Chris Martin from the restricted list.
In corresponding moves, right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 7) with right shoulder inflammation, and right-handed pitcher Michael Rucker and infielder Alfonso Rivas have been optioned to Triple-A Iowa. To make room for Martin on the 40-man roster, outfielder Clint Frazier has been designated for assignment. Miley will make tonight’s start in Chicago’s series opener against the New York Yankees at 6:05 p.m. CT at Yankee Stadium. Miley, 35, landed on the 15-day injured list May 29 (retroactive to May 26) with a left shoulder strain. He is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA (6 ER/16.0 IP) in three starts for the Cubs this season, his first with the organization after he was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati, November 5, 2021. Miley is 98-92 with three complete games, two shutouts and a 4.14 ERA (735 ER/1,597.0 IP) in 286 major league games, all but six as a starter, with Arizona (2011-14), Boston (2015), Seattle (2016), Baltimore (2016-17), Milwaukee (2018), Houston (2019), Cincinnati (2020-21) and the Cubs. He is 3.0 innings away from 1,600.0 for his career and two victories away from 100 wins. Gomes, 34, was placed on the 10-day injured list May 25 (retroactive to May 24) with a left oblique strain. He has played in 24 games for the Cubs this season and recorded a .247 average (18-for-73) with four doubles, two home runs and seven RBI. Gomes last December signed a two-year contract with a club option for 2024. The six-foot, two-inch catcher is a career .247 hitter (760-for-3,079) with 162 doubles, 119 home runs and 423 RBI in 906 career games with Toronto (2012), Cleveland (2013-18), Washington (2019-21), Oakland (2021) and the Cubs. Gomes recorded double-digit home run totals in seven of his last nine full major league campaigns. Villar, 31, landed on the 10-day injured list with a mouth injury May 30 (retroactive to May 27). The switch-hitter has batted .239 (27-for-113) with five doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI and four stolen bases in 32 games for Chicago. The six-foot tall Villar has hit .257 (884-for-3,441) with 160 doubles, 17 triples, 100 home runs, 337 RBI and 236 stolen bases in 1,005 career major league games with Houston (2013-15), Milwaukee (2016-18), Baltimore (2018-19), Miami (2020), Toronto (2020), the Mets (2021) and the Cubs. Stroman, 31, is 2-5 with a 5.32 ERA (31 ER/47.1 IP) in nine starts for Chicago, his first season with the club. He has walked 12, struck out 45 and averaged 8.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings. Rucker, 28, is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA (10 ER/16.2 IP) in 11 relief appearances for the Cubs this season. Rivas, 25, has appeared in 38 games for Chicago this season, batting .194 (18-for-93) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs and 13 RBI. Frazier, 27, has batted .216 (8-for-37) with three doubles, one RBI and a stolen base in 19 games for Chicago this season. Ross on Frazier move (needed the 40-man spot for Martin): “We haven’t been able to give him real opportunities to watch him succeed right now. It was just one of those tough decisions.”
“He was upset. Emotional would be a good word.”
