Cubs activate RHP Yu Darvish from 10-day disabled list … OF Mark Zagunis optioned to Triple-A Iowa
The Cubs made it official on Tuesday afternoon and activated RHP Yu Darvish from the 10-day DL. In order to clear a spot on the 25-man roster for Darvish, OF Mark Zagunis was optioned to the I-Cubs.
Darvish starts the first of three in Atlanta as the Cubs continue the series with the Braves on Tuesday night.
Darvish, 31, was placed on the disabled list with parainfluenza virus on May 7 (retroactive to May 4). Darvish is 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA (20 earned runs in 30 innings) and a 1.56 WHIP in six starts with the Cubs this season. Darvish has allowed 22 runs, 22 earned, on 31 hits with 16 walks and 37 strikeouts.
In his sixth major league season, Darvish is 56-45 with two complete games, one shutout, a 3.51 ERA (336 earned runs in 862 1/3 innings) and a 1.19 WHIP in 137 career starts for the Rangers (2012-14, 2016-17), Dodgers (2017) and Cubs. He has struck out 1,058 batters in 862 1/3 innings, good for an average of 11.04 strikeouts per 9.0 innings.
• Yu Darvish’s Page on Baseball-Reference
Mark Zagunis, 25, batted .400 (2-for-5) with a walk, double and RBI in five games for Chicago … his first two hits in the big leagues. Zagunis is hitting .298 (28-for-94) with four doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI in 29 games with Iowa this season.
There are no two ways about it. Darvish needs a good outing against a very good, young Braves team. Darvish has struggled mightily and has taken a lot of heat after the Cubs pushed his return from the disabled list back a day to have him face the Braves on the road instead of at Wrigley.
