Roster Move: Cubs place Sean Newcomb on 15-day IL, recall righty pitcher |
SAN DIEGO – The Chicago Cubs today placed left-handed pitcher Sean Newcomb on the 15-day injured list with a left ankle sprain (retroactive to May 8) and recalled right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. from Triple-A Iowa.
Leiter Jr. will wear uniform No. 62 and is available for today’s 1:10 p.m. PT game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Leiter Jr., 31, begins his second stint with the Cubs this season after going 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA (9 ER/10.1 IP) in four games (three starts) after having his contract selected from Triple-A Iowa April 16. He was optioned back to Iowa on April 30. The six-foot tall Leiter Jr. in 2021 signed a minor league contract with Detroit and combined to go 10-8 with a 3.77 ERA (48 ER/114.2 IP) in 25 games (19 starts) with Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo in his first action since 2018. He averaged 11.4 strikeouts per 9.0 innings thanks to 145 strikeouts in 114.2 innings against 31 walks which contributed to a 1.07 WHIP. Leiter Jr. was claimed off waivers by Toronto September 1, 2018, then underwent Tommy John surgery March 12, 2019, missing the 2019 campaign. He signed a minor league contract with Arizona for the 2020 season, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All told, Leiter Jr. owns a 42-34 record with a 3.54 ERA (246 ER/626.0 IP) in 150 career minor league games, including 95 starts and is 3-8 with a 5.72 ERA (79 ER/124.1 IP) in 51 career major league games (14 starts). He was originally selected by Philadelphia in the 22nd round of the 2013 Draft out of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newcomb, 29, has posted a combined 7.56 ERA (7 ER/8.1 IP) in six relief outings this season and has allowed three runs in 3.1 IP (8.10 ERA) in three appearances since being traded to the Cubs from Atlanta April 21 for right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez and a cash consideration.
