Cubs place INF/OF Ben Zobrist on 10-Day disabled list … INF David Bote gets the call from Iowa … RHP Eddie Butler landed on DL … RHP Luke Farrell recalled from Triple-A Iowa
The Cubs made another round of roster moves Saturday afternoon. As expected, Ben Zobrist was placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to April 18, with back tightness and recalled David Bote from Triple-A Iowa.
Bote, who will wear uniform number 13, will join the first Major League roster of his career and was in the starting lineup when the Cubs continued their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
The 25-year-old Bote (pronounced BO-dee) is in his seventh season in the Cubs organization since being selected in the 18th round of the 2012 Draft. He enjoyed a breakout season last year with Double-A Tennessee, batting .272 (128-for-470) with 30 doubles, three triples, 14 homers and 59 RBI in 127 games while turning in a .792 OPS to earn mid- and post-season Southern League All-Star honors. Bote continued his strong 2017 by hitting .333 (23-for-69) with four homers, 14 RBI and a .931 OPS in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League to earn All-Star honors.
The right-handed hitter and thrower is batting .234 (11-for-47) with two doubles, one triple and three home runs, contributing to an early .776 OPS with Iowa this year. In seven minor league seasons, Bote is a career .261 hitter (497-for-1,902) with 119 doubles, 12 triples, 42 homers and 245 RBI in 555 games. He has played 302 games at second base, 105 games at third base, 37 games at first base, 27 games at shortstop and 48 games across all three outfield positions.
Bote was born in Longmont, Colo. and currently resides in Thornton, Colo., located approximately 10 miles north of downtown Denver. He is a graduate of Faith Christian Academy in Arvada, Colo. and attended Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan. He was placed on Chicago’s 40-man roster on November 20, 2017.
Ben Zobrist, 36, is batting .326 (14-for-43) with one double, one triple, one homer and seven RBI in 13 games with the Cubs this season.
Prior to the opener of the three-game series in Denver, the Cubs placed right-handed pitcher Eddie Butler on the 10-day disabled list with a right groin strain on Friday and recalled right-handed pitcher Luke Farrell from Triple-A Iowa.
Farrell will wear uniform number 59.
The 26-year-old Farrell has made two starts for Iowa this season, going 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA (seven earned runs in 10 2/3 innings). He made his Major League debut last season with Kansas City before joining Cincinnati in August, combining to post no record with a 5.54 ERA (eight earned runs in 13 innings) in 10 appearances (one start) between the two stops. Farrell turned in a 2.61 ERA (three earned runs in 10 1/3 innings) in nine relief outings upon joining the Reds last year.
In 2017, Farrell went 8-6 with a 4.78 ERA (62 earned runs in 116 2/3 innings) in 22 appearances, all but two as a starter, between the Royals, Dodgers and Reds Triple-A affiliates last season. Overall, Farrell is 25-29 with three saves and a 4.46 ERA (253 earned runs in 511 innings) in 106 career minor league appearances, 86 as a starter.
Farrell is a native of Westlake, Ohio and was originally selected by the Royals in the sixth round of the 2013 Draft out of Northwestern University. He is the son of former Major League manager John Farrell and the brother of Jeremy, the Cubs minor league infield coordinator, and Shane, a regional crosschecker for the Cubs.
Eddie Butler, 27, is 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA (seven earned runs in 14 2/3 innings) in seven relief outings for the Cubs this season.