Cubs activated RHP Jesse Chavez … RHP Dillon Maples recalled from Iowa … RHP James Norwood optioned to Iowa … RHP Anthony Bass placed on 10-Day DL … RHP Luke Farrell added as 26th man for Saturday’s doubleheader
The Cubs made a plethora of roster moves prior to Saturday’s doubleheader at Wrigley against the Cardinals.
The Cubs placed right-handed pitcher Anthony Bass on the 10-day disabled list with a right mid-thoracic strain and added right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez to the 25-man roster. Right-handed pitcher Dillon Maples has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa and right-handed pitcher James Norwood has been optioned to Triple-A. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Luke Farrell has been added to the active roster as the “26th man” for the twinbill.
Jesse Chavez, who will wear uniform number 43, Farrell and Maples will all be available for the Cubs for the day-night doubleheader against the Cardinals.
Chavez, 34, was acquired from Texas on Thursday for minor league left-handed pitcher Tyler Thomas. Chavez is 3-1 with three holds, one save and a 3.51 ERA (22 earned runs in 56 1/3 innings) in 30 relief appearances with the Rangers this season. He has walked only 12 while striking out 50 in 56 1/3 innings, an average of only 1.9 walks per nine innings. Chavez has pitched more than an inning in 18 of his 30 appearances this year, including two or more innings in exactly half of his outings. Chavez is 2-1 with one save and a 2.35 ERA (10 earned runs in 38 1/3 innings) in his last 21 appearances starting May 4.
The right-hander has spent all or part of 11 seasons in the majors with eight different clubs, going 36-52 with three saves and a 4.61 ERA (409 earned runs in 799 innings) in 383 appearances, including 70 starts, with Pittsburgh (2008-09), Atlanta (2010), Kansas City (2010-11), Toronto (2012, 2016), Oakland (2012-15), the Dodgers (2016), the Angels (2017) and the Rangers (2018).
Luke Farrell, 27, returns to the Cubs for the fourth time this season. He has gone 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA (12 earned runs in 28 innings) in 19 games (one start) with the big league team this year, including a 2.25 ERA (two earned runs in eight innings) in six relief outings during his most-recent stint from June 26-July 11. Farrell was previously on the active roster from April 20-May 6 and May 28-June 23. With Iowa this season, he has gone 0-2 with a 4.39 ERA (13 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings) in six starts.
The right-hander made his Major League debut last year with Kansas City and Cincinnati and is now 3-3 with a 4.39 ERA (13 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings) in 29 career major league outings, all but two in relief.
Dillon Maples, 27, has gone 2-2 with seven saves and a 2.79 ERA (nine earned runs in 29 innings) in 30 relief outings with Iowa this season. Maples has fanned 52 while walking 28 in 29.0 innings, and has limited opponents to a .158 average. In his last 16 Triple-A outings since May 25, he has allowed just one unearned run in 15 1/3 innings, striking out 30 while walking 11. Maples joins the Cubs for the third time this season (five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, 16.88 ERA, two relief outings).
Maples was originally selected by the Cubs in the 14th round of the 2011 Draft. He made his Major League debut in the final month of last season, allowing six runs in six relief outings (5 1/3 innings). Overall, he is 15-19 with 31 saves and a 4.36 ERA (133 earned runs in 274 2/3 innings) in 165 career appearances (all but 30 in relief) covering seven minor league seasons. Last year he struck out 100 batters in 63.1 innings across three minor league levels.
Anthony Bass, 30, returns to the 10-day disabled list for the second time this season, having just been activated last Thursday after being out since July 8 due to illness. Bass has no record and a 2.93 ERA (five earned runs in 15 1/3 innings) in 16 relief appearances for the Cubs this season.
James Norwood, 24, is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA (one earned run in 2 2/3 innings) in four relief outings with the Cubs this year. Norwood has combined to go 1-2 with a 2.13 ERA (nine earned runs in 38 innings) in 29 relief appearances in the minors between Iowa and Double-A Tennessee.
