Cubs select contract of RHP Jen-Ho Tseng … Organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year will make big league debut Thursday versus the Mets … RHP Pierce Johnson Designated for Assignment
The Cubs selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng from Triple-A Iowa prior to Wednesday’s game versus the Mets. To make room for Tseng on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Pierce Johnson has been designated for assignment. The club’s active roster now stands at 35 players.
Jen-Ho Tseng, who will wear uniform number 39, joins his first Major League roster and will make the start tomorrow night against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field. LHP Mike Montgomery has been moved to the bullpen for now.
The 22-year-old Tseng was named the Cubs’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year earlier in the day after going 13-4 with a 2.54 ERA (41 earned runs in 145 1/3 innings) and a 1.13 WHIP this season in 24 starts between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. In 15 starts with Tennessee, Tseng went 7-3 with a 2.99 ERA (30 earned runs in 90 1/3 innings) and a 1.14 WHIP, striking out 83 batters and issuing 24 walks. Tseng was promoted to Triple-A for the first time following his first-career 10-strikeout game, July 3 versus Jacksonville. Tseng was excellent with the I-Cubs. Tseng was 6-1 with a 1.80 ERA (11 earned runs in 55 innings) and a 1.12 WHIP in nine starts.
Tseng was named the Cubs’ Pitcher of the Month for July after a 4-1 stretch in which he pitched to a 2.25 ERA (eight earned runs in 32 innings). During that month, he won his first-career weekly award, netting PCL Pitcher of the Week honors for July 17-23 after consecutive seven-inning starts (one earned runs in 14 innings). Tseng was also named to his first league All-Star team, earning Southern League mid-season honors.
Tseng was signed as a non-drafted free agent by Chicago in July of 2013. He holds a career 32-20 record, a 3.17 ERA (170 earned runs in 482 2/3 innings) and a 1.18 WHIP in 87 games (85 starts) across four seasons in the Cubs system.
Pierce Johnson, 26, struggled again this season. Johnson was 3-2 with a 4.31 ERA (26 earned runs in 54 1/3 innings) and a 1.45 WHIP in 43 appearances (one start) with Iowa this season. Johnson allowed 26 runs on 52 hits with 27 walks and 74 strikeouts. Johnson made his Major League debut with the Cubs earlier this season, allowing two unearned runs in one inning on May 19 versus the Brewers.