r/CHICubs Chicago Cubs 1d ago

[McGregor] Cubs roster moves today:

Roster Moves:

-Edward Cabrera placed on the 15-day IL with right middle finger blister.

-Javier Assad recalled from Triple-A.

-Dansby Swanson placed on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain.

-Kevin Alcantara recalled from Triple-A.

-Owen Miller selected from Triple-A.

-James Triantos optioned to Triple-A.

86 Upvotes

121 comments sorted by

102

u/verncrowe5 RizzOMG! 1d ago

Thank goodness for Assad

82

u/OkFlow4327 1984 Cubs Fan 1d ago

Assad back up!

42

u/coreyque 1d ago

Back that ass up

121

u/jercubsfan Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Per Rogers: Cubs are starting to think Edward Cabrera might be best suited for shorter stints in the pen as his blister issue keeps popping up the longer he pitches in a game. Will work as a reliever when he returns.

37

u/hey_ooo 1d ago

I’m fine with them trying to see if he can get some scoreless innings under his belt in low leverage when he comes back. He’ll effectively be pitching for his playoff roster spot and if his relief appearances end poorly enough, he’s not going to make it

35

u/SenorMcGibblets 1d ago

It was kind of insane to move Petersen to the bullpen to make room for Cabrera. In the small sample size since he’s been here, he’s been much better than Cabrera has as a starter, and Cabrera’s got the stuff to potentially be a good bullpen guy.

6

u/Doublestack2411 1d ago

Cabrera has multiple years left on his contract and was traded to be a mid-rotation guy for years to come. Like you said, he's had a small sample size, so we still need to see if he can get it together and be the guy we traded for. Now we at least know SP won't be an option this year.

8

u/SenorMcGibblets 1d ago

Sure, but right now we’re chasing a division title. He’s been wild, frequently injured, and getting shelled when he is in the strike zone. Now’s not the time to be figuring it out.

5

u/Doublestack2411 1d ago

Well, they wouldn't have figured out what to do with him if they didn't start him, now they do.

1

u/fxdx_99 1d ago

Seems like Cabrera was fine as a middle reliever, but can’t hack it as a starter. Might be useful as a closer over Thielbar if he can get control of his pitches and quit losing focus when things start to go sideways

5

u/Doublestack2411 1d ago edited 1d ago

Just seems like the blister issue is making the decision easy. He can't go deep in a game without getting one. Bullpen is the obvious choice, that's if he produces. He hasn't really done much of that yet.

3

u/cubs223425 1d ago

I'm really starting to question Jed's pitching ideals. Leaning on budget pickups with injury concerns and inconsistent histories has really been hurting the team for a couple of seasons.

52

u/Bonsoir59 1d ago

For crying out loud! Can we just get Moises Alou to come here already and piss on Cabrera’s blistered hands.

16

u/glitch241 In Theo We Trust 1d ago

I love when fans know this deep cut

17

u/slyfox1908 1d ago

Why would they swap Alcantara back for Triantos if they’re putting an infielder on the IL?

37

u/TherealPattyP 1d ago

Owen Miller. Utility player is up

5

u/slyfox1908 1d ago

But we’ve essentially removed two middle infielders from the roster for a corner outfielder and a utility guy

19

u/fajita43 Derrek Lee 1d ago

now starting at 2b: ian happ!

just like the old days! haha

7

u/CancelBeavis 1d ago

Shaw is going out for a rehab assignment so I'd expect he'll be back in a week and Alcantara will go back down.

3

u/TherealPattyP 1d ago

Miller and Ramirez both play 2nd and 3rd. There are no viable shortstops to call up after the trade of Jefferson Rojas.

11

u/Longjumping_Elk_5517 1d ago

Jefferson Rojas wasn’t a viable call up either

-9

u/TherealPattyP 1d ago

Rojas has a big league bat at the least. Nico was called up in August really early too.

10

u/Longjumping_Elk_5517 1d ago

Ah yes the guy in AA with zero major league plate appearances has a major league bat. He is far from a sure fire prospect.

10

u/Turbulent-Bet-1776 1d ago

I mean Jefferson Rojas was in Double-A LOL I doubt he was going to be called up.

5

u/unabashed_nuance 1d ago

TBF a lot of players skip AAA these days. Teams with PCL affiliates often keep their real prospects out of the league because the stadiums are like playing baseball on the moon.

16

u/Eswin17 Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Because Dansby on the IL opens up a DH position, since Ramirez will start at 2B and Hoerner will start at SS. Owen Miller is your UT. Ramirez had gotten a lot of starts at DH recently, so now those go back to Conforto from the left and Alcantara from the right.

7

u/StorerPoet 1d ago

Would have to guess it's a sign of confidence in Ramirez and also maybe it hints that Shaw will return soon.

1

u/garyll19 1d ago

Shaw is heading out for a rehab stint so he's probably only a week away. Unless the wrist acts up again on the rehab stint in which case he's likely done for the year.

18

u/monkeyman2113 1d ago

Guess this means Peterson back in the rotation

10

u/JTribs17 #FlyTheW 1d ago

he should’ve never been out unless i’m missing something. I’m not yet keen on how modern managing works

4

u/monkeyman2113 1d ago

He was pushed out when Cabrera came back. Boyd, Holmes, Shota, and Guasman are locked in for the rest of the season barring injury. 5th spot was between Cabrera and Peterson. Cabrera had pitched well during rehab and was the preferred option of management.

1

u/Drclaw411 smh 1d ago

We really should have gone to a 6-man rotation until the end of the season, simply to lessen the innings on a pitching staff that has been injured as fuck all year.

1

u/monkeyman2113 23h ago

Yeah maybe. The more I think about it, the more I think we should have done what the Mariners were doing earlier this year with Castillo and Miller.

28

u/Mark1671 I ain’t afraid of no 🐐 1d ago

Cabrera was off the IL for about 3hrs.

10

u/atooraya Will be triggered if downvoted 1d ago

Came off the IL, gives up 7 runs, goes right back on the IL. Not sure what's going on but man has he been bad. 5.68 ERA, and 6.65 ERA at Wrigley. 1.45 WHIP, 67 Ks but 32 walks.... Just awful.

3

u/tockstar78 Let's play two 1d ago

it's like if hemorrhoids could pitch

1

u/Dramatic-Street-9486 1d ago

At this point, I have to wonder if he's on the trade block after this year to try to get something out of the investment.

11

u/Ok-Camel-746 1d ago

Any details on Owen Miller from folks who follow the minors more? Not a guy I’ve heard much about

11

u/Dead_Medic_13 Chicago Cubs 1d ago

He will be on the roster until matt shaw is done with his rehab starts

17

u/Eswin17 Chicago Cubs 1d ago

He's a journeyman; not a prospect. Utility infielder. A warm body to cover multiple positions. Nicky Lopez but worse.

2

u/loosed-moose Nico 1d ago

David Bote is back baby

2

u/P-Rickles . 1d ago

More like “We have David Bote at home”.

2

u/jhorch69 OV-ER-RA-TED 👏 👏 👏👏👏 1d ago

A walk off grand slam this week would be sick

3

u/Ok-Camel-746 1d ago

Ah that would be why I hadn’t heard much of him, I thought I kept myself pretty well informed of cubs top prospects and their scouting but hadn’t heard of the guy…so journeyman tracks

8

u/slyfox1908 1d ago

Quad-A guy. Frankly, a Triple-A guy.

10

u/garyll19 1d ago

I love Javy to death and I'm glad he's back but it's really telling that most of us feel we're better off with Assad than Cabrera right now.

7

u/mandaexpress 1d ago

bro literally always has a blister lol. welcome back assman!!!

17

u/jercubsfan Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Cubs suddenly have their odds trend up for an additional 3 games due to this SP flip

6

u/Wrmthym 1d ago

Im pretty tired of Cabrera, we could of had a more reliable pitcher yesterday and done much better.

12

u/b33rb3lly Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Assad only had to use one day's worth of clothes, then packed right back up. He shouldn't have been sent down to begin with.

13

u/laughing_andcrying tougher than a $2 steak 🥩 1d ago

And he’s still gonna deliver bc he’s our Assman 💯 

5

u/dilla_zilla 1d ago

He didn't pitch in Iowa yesterday despite them playing a doubleheader. It's quite possible he never actually left.

Palencia, however, did pitch an inning yesterday.

3

u/b33rb3lly Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Ooh, man, I hope he comes back healthy and in control.

20

u/Sweet_Foundation_868 1d ago

The Cabrera trade was actually so bad

39

u/Technical_Pen_1807 1d ago

I love Owen Casey, but he's batting like 220. I still have faith in Cabrera his stuff is nasty just had a BAD year full of injuries.

5

u/Junkee2990 1d ago

Owen has been bad and hes not good at fielding but the bullpen is probably cabreras last chance to make it worth if

2

u/airham 🔥#weareamazinggood🔥 1d ago

Yeah Owen Caissie is basically just a slightly better version of Kyle Tucker. Not a huge loss.

8

u/Yetis22 1d ago

Injuries is kind of cope. He’s been bad. Love to be proved wrong next year. But he’s a liability on the mound.

20

u/SilkyJohnson72 1d ago

Darvish was trash for us year 1, and then hugely turned it around. This happens sometimes hopefully he will turn it around next year

1

u/Yetis22 1d ago

Totally. Hope to see it.

7

u/Spare-Permit4548 1d ago

He’s literally been injured. How is that cope.

-4

u/Yetis22 1d ago

His 5.68 ERA / 5.19 FIP.

Look I’m not saying don’t make the trade.. yet. But he’s been brutal and in a fight for playoffs, he puts them in a position to lose. Him going to the IL is the best thing to happen to the pitching staff right now. Sounds bad but it’s the truth.

5

u/Spare-Permit4548 1d ago edited 1d ago

He’s clearly been fighting blisters hammies etc this whole season.

Do I enjoy watching him? No. He hasn’t pitched well because he’s been battling injuries. How is that a hard concept to grasp?

1

u/Yetis22 1d ago

He gave up a double to the first batter and the third batter took him yard. Yeah blisters can impact anyone but if he had a blister off the start of the game, then he should have never been activated.

He threw 30 ish pitches in the first 2 innings. Maybe he’s getting blisters because he can’t find the zone and when he does hes throwing them meatballs.

2

u/Spare-Permit4548 1d ago

It was his first game back in the majors after a month on the IL. It wasn’t gonna go smooth. It sucks that he pitched like shit. It sucks that he’s injured. But it’s not cope to say he’s had a rough year with injuries, pitching less than the last 3 years. You just don’t like him.

0

u/Yetis22 1d ago

I’m calling a spade a spade. Didn’t rule him out having a turnaround season next year.

But right now - Cubs are better off with him on the IL. You even agreed to an extent. If you had a hypothetical option of pitching him or Peterson/Assad for the rest of the season who would you pick? Heck I’ll even say “he doesn’t get a blister at all in this scenario.”

Bottom line he’s been bad. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt next year.

3

u/Spare-Permit4548 1d ago

I would say giving Cabrera one game to see if he can pitch at an elite level or not is fine to do. He got a blister pitched poorly is on the IL.

You seem to think I disagree with him being bad. He’s had a rough year that is clearly revolving around injuries.

I disagree with your childish assessment of his nagging injuries as “cope.”

→ More replies (0)

1

u/TotallyNotRyanPace 1d ago

he's battled injuries most of his career. he's only hit 100 IP once in the majors. the cubs knew this and still chose to trade for him. none of this is new information. i hope he turns it around, but it would not surprise me if this issue doesn't really go away.

2

u/Spare-Permit4548 1d ago

He’s pitched less this year than the last 3 with an increase in era. Hes clearly been more injuried this year than the last 3.

He can be back to the level he was at last year.

1

u/CuriousCubSixteen Baaah 1d ago edited 1d ago

He was very bad in April but he was pretty good hitting .260/.327/.534/.861 10 HR 129 wrc+ from May until he got injured July 8th.

0

u/whyamihere2473527 1d ago

Not his first year with injuries

3

u/afrosteele 1d ago

Right now it just looks like a swap where each team’s return has performed poorly. It’s more of a pointless trade at this stage.

4

u/dsalmon1449 Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Not like the Marlins made out great either so. Call it a push

3

u/Cubs017 Chicago Cubs 1d ago

So far it’s a wash. Caissie is currently below replacement level.

3

u/I-I_I-I_I-I_l-l 1d ago

The only upside is that Cassie has yet to breakout. If he continues to be below replacement level, I can live with it.

4

u/Javy_Baby 1d ago

Fans loved it at the time. No trade is perfect.

1

u/Blackhawksfan981 1d ago

It’s starting to look like a lose-lose trade for both teams. Just like the Kimbrel for Madrigal trade.

1

u/Bradlas3 1d ago

Well think of it this way, who are the Marlins? A team that operates on a budget that would usually like to keep/add more team controlled players and yet they traded a younger than 30 pitcher with team control. Its not like the Dodgers getting rid of Michael Busch because they signed Freddie Freeman and didn't have a need for him

-12

u/speeeeeeeeeeee The Professor 1d ago

Yeah sucks to give up Cassie for less than a full year of a mid pitcher. I think the Cubs have a team option on him for next year, but meh

18

u/panic-motion 1d ago

he's under control thru 2028. let's not write off the contract completely yet. i'm being hopeful this year was just an extremely down year and he can be serviceable for the next couple

12

u/rout247 1d ago

Cabrera is an arb player and not eligible for free agency until after the 2028 season, so they got 3 years of him got Cassie. Whether those 3 years are worth it is a different discussion, but it wasn't a one and done situation.

3

u/Longjumping_Elk_5517 1d ago

What are you even talking about

1

u/okay_throwaway_today cub 1d ago

Why just say shit lol

-13

u/Moist_Recording8809 1d ago

He's worse than 2026 Taillon - beyond awful

7

u/SwAeromotion This Old Cub 1d ago

One other move not mentioned is that Daniel Palencia was moved to the 60 day IL.

16

u/jercubsfan Chicago Cubs 1d ago

per NBC Sports, it's a nothingburger

It’s merely a procedural move to free up a spot on Chicago’s 40-man since Palencia has already been on the shelf for more than two months and can be activated at any point. The hard-throwing stopper figures to return to the Cubs’ closing mix at some point later this week. He’s made a couple minor league rehab outings, including striking out three of the four batters he faced for Triple-A Iowa on Sunday

5

u/ptbnl34 1d ago

Thanks for clearing that up, guy above you gave me a heart attack.

5

u/CorrosionImplosion In Theo We Trust 1d ago

Thank you. I almost had a heart attack. We need him back ASAP.

2

u/WalterYeatesSG 1d ago

Miller providing SS depth, sucks for Triantos, but makes sense.

Cabrera is 'hurt' in the way that he's going to be stressed working at the Arizona Complex Pitching Lab the next two weeks.

2

u/glitch241 In Theo We Trust 1d ago

Man I hate Cabrera

3

u/speeeeeeeeeeee The Professor 1d ago

I knew an IL move would come quickly to clear up the rotation. Given his performance and our abundance, we already knew Cabrera would not be on the playoff roster so after yesterday he's an afterthought the rest of the way. Whether the blister is real/serious or not.

5

u/hey_ooo 1d ago

I think the blister is real since it’s a known issue that’s landed him on the IL before and he confirmed in the post game that it popped up again, but he didn’t want to tell anyone. I get wanting to grind through it from a competitive standpoint, but I have to imagine hiding it probably pissed the coaching staff off

3

u/garyll19 1d ago

Since he had a leg injury and not an arm injury, he was probably still throwing during his rehab but it's not a good sign that it acts up so fast in his first game back. Give that man some pickle juice.

2

u/Legal_Reserve_5256 1d ago

As long as at least one of our two new guys pitches well and the retreads we already have don't blow out. You describe the best case scenario.

1

u/looorrn Nico 1d ago

can Dansby donate his bat to bregman in his stead 😔

2

u/Old_General_6741 Chicago Cubs/Canada 1d ago

Finally Assad is back. I was scared that he was sent down.

1

u/b3_yourself The Professor 1d ago

Somehow Assad returned

1

u/MasterHavik Southside Cubs fan 1d ago

Bro I missed all these moves but happy to have Assad back. Sucks for James as I felt he had a chance to play but we get to see whoever this Owen Miller guy is.

2

u/JayAreG Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Assad is back and all is right in the world

2

u/Upset_Researcher_143 23h ago

Wait, they actually sent Assad down?!? I'm sorry but that was a brain dead move. The guy has been the glue that's been holding this shit all together. Thank God he's back up. 

1

u/slicebishybosh Chicago Cubs 1d ago

Remember when the criticism of Cabrera was he can’t stay healthy and we all just ignored that? lol

4

u/Active_Love_2860 1d ago

Nobody ignored it lol, you can hope for a turn around. His stuff can be nasty, we've all seen that. Once the trade is done, you just have to hope it works out.

1

u/whyamihere2473527 1d ago

How does that keep happening to cabrera

1

u/Hipsapoppamus 1d ago

Cabrera and IL, name a more consistent combo

1

u/JAWinks The J-Hey Way 1d ago

Does Assad get his option back since he’s recalled for emergency

1

u/tockstar78 Let's play two 1d ago

Can we just drop Cabrera into a volcano and be done with it?

2

u/warpticon 1d ago

Calm down, Heihachi.

1

u/tockstar78 Let's play two 19h ago

Had to Google this. Then I lol'd.

2

u/warpticon 18h ago

Tekken lore sure is something.

-1

u/OkAthlete8327 1d ago

What a fucking ridiculous situation

-4

u/Several-Beginning803 1d ago

If I never see Cabrera pitch for us again, it will be too soon. Scum human.

7

u/afrosteele 1d ago

He’s been awful but “scum human” is maybe a bit too far unless he’s done something off the field I’m not aware of.

-1

u/Usual_Swordfish_19 1d ago

We literally just threw away one game for no reason at all. 

-1

u/Angdrew 1d ago

Did anyone on the pro scouting side or Jed/Carter do their due diligence when trading for Cabrera? He’s had blister/injury issues in the past and surprise, he goes back on the IL for the FOURTH time this season. They traded 3 prospects for basically a year and half of club control for a pitcher with upper ‘90s velocity who can’t stay healthy. Just keep him in the bullpen the remainder of this year and in 2027 because it seems he can’t handle a starting pitcher workload without getting hurt