Cubs announce several roster moves |
SAN FRANCISCO – The Chicago Cubs today activated outfielder Jason Heyward off the 10-day injured list and recalled right-handed pitcher Cory Abbott from Triple-A Iowa. Additionally, the team claimed right-handed pitcher Dakota Chalmers off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and optioned him to Double-A Tennessee. In corresponding moves, left-handed pitcher Brad Wieck has been optioned to Iowa and outfielder Nick Martini has been designated for assignment.
Abbott will wear uniform number 15 and is available for today’s 4:15 p.m. PT game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Abbott looks to make his major league debut. Heyward, 31, has hit .183 (23-for-126) with six doubles, a triple, four home runs, 13 RBI and 11 walks in 39 games for Chicago. He landed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, May 20. In two injury rehab games with Iowa, Heyward was 2-for-5 with a solo home run and a walk. The left-handed hitting Heyward owns a .249 average (544-for-2,188) with 97 doubles, 16 triples, 57 home runs and 262 RBI in 631 games for Chicago since signing prior to the 2016 campaign. A five-time N.L. Gold Glove Award winner, Heyward owns a .260 career average (1,348-for-5,193) with 255 doubles, 37 triples, 154 home runs and 614 RBI in 12 seasons with the Braves (2010-14), Cardinals (2015) and Cubs. Abbott, 25, was selected by Chicago in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Loyola Marymount University and has gone 17-17 with a 3.86 ERA (105 ER/301.0 IP) in 58 career minor league starts. He has recorded a 1.18 WHIP and averaged 10.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, striking out 356 batters with 108 walks. Abbott was named the 2019 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year by the organization after he led the Southern League in innings (146.2) and strikeouts (166) for Double-A Tennessee. Abbott spent 2020 at the South Bend Alternate Site. The six-foot two-inch Abbott this season is 1-3 with a 6.39 ERA (18 ER/25.1 IP) in five starts for Triple-A Iowa. He has walked 14 and struck out 41, good for an average of 14.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings. Chalmers, 24, is 9-8 with a 4.38 ERA (82 ER/168.1 IP) in 52 career minor league games (41 starts) between the Oakland (2015-18) and Minnesota (2019, 2021) farm systems since he was selected by Oakland in the third round of the 2015 draft out of North Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga. He has averaged 10.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in his minor league career, striking out 198 batters in 168.1 innings while walking 129 batters. The six-foot three-inch Chalmers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 before he was traded that August to Minnesota for right-handed pitcher Fernando Rodney. He returned to the field in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the Twins alternate training site, entering the season ranked as having the best curveball in the Twins system by Baseball America. Chalmers this season has no record and a 9.49 ERA (13 ER/12.1 IP) in five games (two starts) with Double-A Wichita, issuing 15 walks while striking out 13 batters in 12.1 innings. Wieck, 29, has no record and tossed 8.0 scoreless innings in eight relief appearances for the Cubs this season. He has walked three and struck out nine while pitching to a 1.13 WHIP. Martini, 30, has batted .083 (1-for-12) with an RBI in 12 games spanning two stints for Chicago this season. Today’s #Cubs roster moves:
- Activated OF Jason Heyward off 10-day IL
- Recalled RHP Cory Abbott from @IowaCubs
- Claimed RHP Dakota Chalmers from Twins (optioned to @smokiesbaseball)
- Optioned LHP Brad Wieck to Iowa
- Designated OF Nick Martini for assignment pic.twitter.com/HMr9vCyF42
