The Chicago Cubs have made changes to their pitching roster ahead of Saturday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Veteran pitcher Drew Smyly has been activated from the injured list, having been sidelined since April 23 due to a right hip impingement. To make room for Smyly, José Cuas has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Smyly, now in his third season with the Cubs, has delivered mixed results from the bullpen in nine appearances this season. He holds a 4.97 ERA, with five walks and 11 strikeouts over 12.2 innings. His 4.63 FIP and 1.342 WHIP show improvement compared to his stats from the previous year. Turning 35 next month, Smyly is expected to provide valuable left-handed depth to the Cubs’ bullpen.
José Cuas, a 29-year-old right-hander, will return to Iowa after an inconsistent performance with the Cubs. He started strong with three consecutive scoreless outings after rejoining the team on May 11 but struggled in a recent game against the Atlanta Braves, giving up four runs (three earned) from three hits. Cuas has a 7.43 ERA over nine games this season, with six walks and 14 strikeouts.
Following the postponement of Friday’s game, the Cubs are set to face the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. local time.
