Cubs Activate OF Matt Szczur from 15-Day DL, Designate RHP Neil Ramirez for Assignment
The Cubs made two roster moves Saturday. OF Matt Szczur was activated from the 15-day DL. To make room on the 25-man roster for Szczur, RHP Neil Ramirez was designated for assignment.
Jason Heyward will likely miss three-five days with a contusion on his right side. Heyward will not be placed on the disabled list.
The Cubs will have a 12-man pitching staff (five starters, seven relievers) and 13 position players on the 25-man roster for a while. Joe Maddon has been hinting at this switch for a couple of weeks.
With Saturday’s roster moves, the Cubs’ 40-man roster officially stands at 38 players.
The Cubs needed another position player and with Neil Ramirez’s velocity still down, the Cubs decided that was the best decision for him and the team. Ramirez is not expected to clear waivers. A team will claim Neil Ramirez.
Matt Szczur, 26, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 3 with a right hamstring strain. Szczur is batting .367/.441/.600 (11-for-30) with nine runs scored, one double, two homers and 10 RBI for a 1.041 OPS in 21 games with the Cubs this season. Szczur played in one game in a rehab assignment with Double-A Tennessee, going 0-for-1 with a walk and run scored.
Neil Ramirez, 26, had no record and a 4.70 ERA (four earned runs in 7 2/3 innings) with a 1.17 WHIP and 3.05 FIP in eight relief appearances for the Cubs this season. The Cubs acquired Ramirez as the PTBNL in the Matt Garza deal with the Rangers on Aug. 23, 2013. The Cubs received RHP Justin Grimm, RHP Carl Edwards Jr., 3B Mike Olt and a PTBNL on July 22, 2013 from Texas for Matt Garza.