LHP Jon Lester, RHP Justin Grimm placed on 10-day disabled list … LHP Rob Zastryzny, RHP Felix Pena recalled from Triple-A Iowa … LHP Mike Montgomery moved to starting rotation
The Cubs received good news on LHP Jon Lester. Lester will not miss the remainder of the season due to injury. The Cubs are hoping that Lester misses only a couple of starts after landing on the DL prior to Friday’s opener with the Blue Jays.
Lester was placed on the disabled list with left lat tightness/general shoulder fatigue but the lefty said he’s dealing with arm fatigue more than anything. Lester has not been at full strength in some time but tried to pitch through the issues he is having. Lester did not give a timetable for his return.
The Cubs have to get Lester right and back on the mound in order to maintain the lead in the division and win the NL Central Crown for the second straight season.
Jon Lester, 33, is 8-7 with a 4.37 ERA (72 earned runs in 148 1/3 innings) and a 1.27 WHIP in 26 starts with the Cubs this season. Lester has allowed 86 runs, 72 earned, on 143 hits with 46 walks and 155 strikeouts. This marks his first stint on the disabled list since the 2011 campaign.
LHP Mike Montgomery will take Lester’s spot in the rotation.
RHP Justin Grimm was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an infection in his right index finger. RHP pitcher Felix Pena and left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny have been recalled from Triple-A Iowa.
Zastryzny will reportedly be inserted in Montgomery’s role in the Cubs’ pen while he is filling in for Jon Lester.
Rob Zastryzny, 25, joins the Cubs for the third time this season as he made one appearance during a brief stint with the club in May (four earned runs in three innings). Rob Z is 1-2 with one save and a 6.57 ERA (27 earned runs in 37 innings) in 12 appearances, five as a starter, with Iowa this season. Zastryzny made his big league debut with the Cubs last season, going 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA (two earned runs in 16 innings) and a 1.06 WHIP in eight appearances, one as a starter. Zastryzny struck out 17 batters in the 16 innings pitched while limiting opponents to a .207 batting average.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Zastryzny was originally selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2013 Draft out of the University of Missouri.
Felix Pena, 27, joins the Cubs for the fifth time this season, as he is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA (eight earned runs in 16 innings) and a 1.56 WHIP in 10 relief outings during his previous big league stints. Pena is 2-1 with six saves, a 5.54 ERA (24 earned runs in 39 innings) and a 1.43 WHIP in 24 relief appearances with Iowa this season, including a 1-0 mark with a 1.42 ERA (two earned runs in 12 2/3 innings) in five outings in August, striking out 19 with a 0.55 WHIP. Pena made his big league debut with the Cubs last year and overall is 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA (12 earned runs in 25 innings) and a 1.32 WHIP in 21 career Major League relief outings.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Pena originally signed with the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent on March 9, 2009 out of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He is 31-40 with 13 saves, a 3.90 ERA (289 earned runs in 667 2/3 innings IP) and a 1.27 WHIP in 203 minor league appearances (78 starts) covering nine minor league seasons.
Justin Grimm, 29, is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA (26 earned runs in 43 1/3 innings) and a 1.33 WHIP in 39 appearances with the Cubs this season.