A day after LHP Travis Wood was moved to the bullpen, Joe Maddon announced LHP Tsuyoshi Wada will step into the rotation and start Wednesday night in San Diego.
The move to add Tsuyoshi Wada is the first of several changes expected to be made to the pitching staff. Maddon said Sunday the Cubs will not carry 14 pitchers on the active roster starting Tuesday when the Cubs begin a three-game series with the Padres.
The Cubs are expected to recall at least one position player from Triple-A Iowa, likely OF Junior Lake due to INF Tommy La Stella reinjuring his side during a rehab game Sunday with Double-A Tennessee. Maddon indicated Sunday, the team is discussing options for the pitching staff and the decisions will be made based on upcoming match-ups with teams on the schedule.
With Wada added to the rotation, the Cubs have RHP Jason Hammel, LHP Tsuyoshi Wada and RHP Kyle Hendricks lined up for the three-game series with the Padres.
Tsuyoshi Wada is on the Cubs’ 40-man roster, which currently stands at 39 players. The Cubs will have to open a spot for him on the active roster before he is activated from the 15-day DL.
Tsuyoshi Wada started Spring Training in the mix for the fifth spot in the rotation with Travis Wood, Edwin Jackson, RHP Jacob Turner, LHP Felix Doubront, RHP Dallas Beeler and LHP Eric Jokisch. Injuries to Wada, Turner and Beeler, coupled with struggles from Jackson, Doubront and Jokisch gave Wood another shot at keeping his spot in the rotation once the season got underway.
Wada was 10-6 in 19 games, 18 starts, for Iowa last season with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Wada struck out 120 batters with 28 walks in 113 2/3 innings and was named to the PCL All-Star team. Wada was called up in July and settled in after two rough starts.
With the Cubs, Wada was 4-4 in 13 starts with a 3.25 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and a 3.75 FIP. Dr. K allowed 28 runs, 25 earned, on 67 hits in 69 1/3 innings with 57 strikeouts and 19 walks. Wada averaged 5 1/3 innings per start.
In six rehab starts with Iowa this season, Wada was 1-3 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Wada allowed 14 runs, 11 earned, on 32 hits with 10 walks and 29 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings.
As previously reported, around the time Travis Wood started his slide is when Tsuyoshi Wada got on track. Wada appeared to really turn things around for Iowa after a bullpen session at Wrigley Field with Chris Bosio. Wada was 1-1 over his last three starts with a 0.92 ERA and a 0.66 WHIP. Wada allowed 10 hits with three walks and 17 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings.
Joe Maddon said at the beginning of the season it would take time to get players in the right roles. Adding Tsuyoshi Wada to the rotation and moving Travis Wood to the bullpen is the first significant change outside of calling up Kris Bryant and Addison Russell.