The Cubs announced a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s opener in Houston (relayed by Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune). Chicago selected reliever Nick Burdi onto the MLB roster and recalled Jeremiah Estrada from Triple-A Iowa. In corresponding moves, starter Hayden Wesneski was optioned while reliever Brad Boxberger landed on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain. The Cubs placed Adrian Sampson on the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Burdi.
Burdi, 30, returns to the majors for the first time since 2020. A second round pick of the Twins in 2014, he preceded younger brother Zack Burdi in going from star college closer at Louisville to highly-regarded professional relief pitching prospect. Burdi never made it past Double-A in the Minnesota system thanks to injuries and strike-throwing concerns. The Pirates eventually added him (by way of trade with Philadelphia) in the 2017 Rule 5 draft.
The right-hander went on to pitch in parts of three seasons with Pittsburgh. He tallied just 12 1/3 combined innings, however, as successive Tommy John and thoracic outlet procedures mostly kept him off the mound. Burdi allowed 14 runs despite an impressive 23 strikeouts in his limited big league look and he spent all of 2021-22 on the minor league injured list.
Chicago nevertheless took a no-cost flier this offseason. They added him from the Padres — with whom he’d signed a minor league deal — in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft. He was assigned to Iowa and has pitched well in his long-awaited return to the mound. Through 10 2/3 innings, he’s allowed just four runs while punching out an excellent 19 of 49 hitters (a 38.8% clip). He’s walked five batters and hit three more but the ability to miss bats is still clearly present if he’s able to stay healthy.
Burdi racked up three years of major league service with all of his time on the IL for Pittsburgh. He still has a full slate of minor league option years remaining, so the Cubs can move him between Chicago and Iowa without exposing him to waivers. He’ll be eligible for arbitration through at least 2026 if he can carve out a lasting 40-man spot.
For now, he’ll take the bullpen spot vacated by Boxberger. The veteran right-hander has had a tough go since signing a $2.8MM free agent deal with Chicago. Through 17 appearances, he’s been tagged for a 5.52 ERA and walked just under 14% of opposing hitters. Boxberger’s average fastball velocity is down a tick from where it sat last season with the Brewers, perhaps a reflection of him pitching through some discomfort. He’ll be out of action for at least a couple weeks; the Cubs haven’t provided any specifics on his return timetable.
Wesneski is one of the top starting pitching prospects in the Chicago farm system. Acquired from the Yankees for Scott Effross at last summer’s trade deadline, he impressed over six appearances late last season. That success hasn’t yet carried over for the 25-year-old. He’s allowed a 5.03 ERA over 39 1/3 innings through eight starts. Wesneski has surrendered an untenable 10 home runs and posted a 16.7% strikeout percentage and 8.2% swinging strike rate that are each well below the league average.
It had seemed as if Wesneksi was righting the ship following a slow start to the season. He’d rattled off three straight one-run outings since April 27 before a seven-run drubbing at the hands of the Twins on Saturday. The Cubs decided to give him some time for a reset in Iowa, leaving a four-man starting staff of Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Drew Smyly. Chicago is off on Thursday and next Monday, allowing them to get by without a fifth starter until the end of next week. By then, Kyle Hendricks figures to be ready for his first MLB action of the season. The veteran hurler has made four rehab starts with Iowa as he works back from a strain in his shoulder that cut short his 2022 campaign.
Sampson has yet to pitch in the majors this season. The right-hander suffered a right knee injury in Triple-A and underwent surgery two weeks ago. He’ll be out until at least the middle of July as a result. The only silver lining is that he’ll paid a major league salary for time spent on the injured list now that the Cubs put him on the MLB IL to clear the 40-man roster spot.
LOL…”forearm strain” would be code for “this guy is struggling too much to be on the active roster right now”
They really need one of these guys, to step up and join the few others that can be trusted to get an out when it’s needed. Boxberger and Farmer really look shaky.
Fulmer?
@58, yeah. Thanks.
“Wesneski is one of the top starting pitching prospects in the Chicago farm system. Acquired from the Yankees for Scott Effross at last summer’s trade deadline,” I might add Effross had TJ surgery, joining Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino in Cashman trades for seriously injured players.
Never forget the last pitch that Burdi threw for the Pirates in the bigs.. Looked great in pre season. Looked great to open the season. Thought that he had blown his elbow apart again on that last pitch. Good luck to Nick un till he throws against the Bucs. 🙂
Wesneski has “flashed” as they say, but needs to find his groove. He needs to regain his confidence. I think Ben Brown will be the next farm hand to get a shot. But right now, Hendricks will be the focus.
The only Cubs announcement I’m anticipating from @MLBTradeRumors is the firing of David Ross
Why? Who do you want?
I’m not a David Ross fan by any means but there is zero chance he gets fired anytime soon. The Cubs recently extended him and despite under playing their talent, he’s hovering around .500.
Ross is not having his best season for sure but it’s way too early for firing talk. He’s been very good at managing his bullpen the last few years and let’s not forget that the FO gave him those guys. I was all for them signing them but true it’s not working out well so far. Estrada should be here for the rest of the season and losers like Merryweather need to go. Iowa has like 6 guys who throw over 95 who are getting it done so rotating them in and out shouldn’t be a problem until Fulmer and Boxberger get their heads out of their arses. Burdi has looked very good so far and deserved the shot. Riley Thompson and Sanders are looking good also but they can leave Rodriguez down there as far as I’m concerned. Horn and Little are also getting it done from the left side.
This is the Cubs fourth losing streak in 3 1/2 weeks.
The losing streaks have always been my major complaint against Ross, since he was taken over. Aside from 2020, we have had losing streaks of 10 plus games every season, this year by the grace of Steele we’ve managed to avoid double digits but for some reason Ross just cannot seem to right the ship when the wheels start falling off and often, it seems like Ross’s decision making aids in the streaks.
As I said, I don’t care for Ross (although I think most fans of teams below .500 don’t like their manager) and I think his “bullpen management” is greatly overrated. I think Ross has been gifted with key bullpen pieces having great years vs him actually managing a bullpen successfully. Meaning having guys like Thompson, Kimbrel, Robertson, Chafin, Givens made managing the pen very easy. This year Keegan isn’t the tourniquet he was last year and Ross is actually having to do match up innings which is exposing him.
I don’t think you can just give the guy the blame when things go bad without giving him the credit when things go right. Seems like bad form.
Mike, Im hoping Horn is on their short list. He’s been pretty dominant and we could use a LH and another power arm in the pen.
Hoping Estrada or one of these guys steps up and takes the closer job.
I felt really bad for Burdi with the Pirates as they knew that he had electric stuff but could not stay healthy.
He had real potential as a closer Hopefully he has passed all of the injuries and has kept his talent as it was a lot to lose.
Hey, Chicago Pirates are reunited. Sampson, Burdi, and Jameson Tallion!
I had high hopes on “wild thing” Wesneski but he needs find a glimmer of accuracy in AAA otherwise he’s destined for the bullpen like Alzolay.
I asked the question ever since the “immaculate inning”, is Wesneski going to be wildly effective or just wild? And a problem for Wesneski is his pitches do not break with any kind of consistency which means a catcher cannot give him the “aim here” target which I think he needs.
I’m wondering if a potential solution for him could be working with Amaya as a “personal” catcher so to speak and bring them up together next time he gets the call up.
Wesneski won’t be the one coming back up. Hendricks has pitched 2 decent 5 inning games since his ” Hottovy” Bullpen session a week ago. Hendricks after all the hype still throws the same and tops out at around 89 MPH so I’m not overly enthused to see him back, However short lived his shoulder might be or not be. IDK, I still don’t like him being around there are other guys I’d rather see.
It depends on what Hendricks shows up. Kyle was incredible last season with Gomes behind the plate, he was awful when anyone else caught him so I am a little excited to get him back.
I don’t think Wesneski is a lost cause either, his control, especially in his last outing, was god awful but if he can get some control, his stuff will play. ,
The strength at Iowa has shifted from the bullpen to the starters. Asad, Brown, Wesneski, Killian and Clarke or Neidert whichever is your fancy. Plus Wicks should be there soon. I just hope they leave them there to keep them stretched out, Instead of running them back and forth to put in the pen. Still have a good bullpen there to draw from. It would stink if Fulmer and Boxberger can’t get it figured out. Fulmer is throwing mid 90’s so I have no idea what his problem is.
I watched Kilians start a couple weeks ago and his fastball doesn’t have any movement to it what so ever. I don’t care how hard you can throw, professional hitters will get your timing down and sit dead red.
It pains me to know that Chafin signed for only slightly more than Fulmer. I get Fulmer signed sooner and Chafin had to be trying to hold out but it still sucks.
As for the bullpen is concerned, I imagine some of our starters in AAA will see bullpen time in the majors at some point, depending on where we are come trade deadline. Given our current lack of success, we could be buried as sellers at the deadline and could see Hendricks and Stroman both moved, Smyly perhaps as well.
Yeah I really didn’t mention Killian until 4th in line. Realistically he’s probably farther down than that at this point. He looks nothing like he kid I saw 2 years ago. He yanks everything and just plain looks uncomfortable. Obviously he changed some thing after the first time he got brought up and failed. A new start might actually be in the cards somewhere else. Didn’t mention Heuer either as he’s throwing 100 but definitely looks like a guy who hasn’t pitched in 2 years but he just needs some time. But they need help now.
Heuer is going to be a big shot in the arm. I’m curious if we could get Kilian right in the pen, let him work with his two best pitches primarily while he develops/works on a third in the pen.
Brown pitching tonight for Iowa.. Must see TV.
They call up Burdi yet Ross goes with Michael Fulmer. He’s proven he’s terrible in high leverage situations. He should not be used when then game is tied. Brandon Hughes threw one pitch. Adbert Alzolay was solid. I don’t know why David Ross keeps going with Fulmer.
Fulmer is the new Rowan Wick, dudes lights out in low leverage situations and you think “man, maybe he has it figured out”. Then you put him in when the games on the line and he (they) bomb.
Rarely do people say, “I used to have a shoulder problem.” Hendricks’ margin of error is wafer thin due to his limited velocity and dependence on location. I don’t see him being effective for awhile, if ever, if he’s lost another tick of velocity. I know there’s reluctance to moving Thompson out of the bullpen due to his success there but the kid can pitch. When Hendricks struggles why not stretch Thompson out and put him in the rotation?
leftcoast- Nobody asked me but I agree with you. I think Thompson as a starter is in the near future. Not this year because to do it you’d have to send him down to do it right and not endanger his arm. It’s not going to be long before Thompson( Keegan not Riley) , Will be complaining to be a starter because 1- He’s earned it and 2- He knows starters make a lot more money. If Stroman walks like I think he will then it’ll certainly be on the table I think next year. It’s not that I don’t like the guys they have now but I wish the Cubs would stop extending people who are playing on a losing team right now. They’ve built up the farm, Let it play out. I think they’re panicking a bit and should just let things play out. Thompson doesn’t blow up the radar gun but knows how to pitch. He’s not gonna want to be long man forever. Steele and Tallion are the only starter locks to be here next year so things could turn over. Stroman after all is a good P with a .500 record for his career. Why extend him?
I dont understand all the hype w Stroman, he got off to a great start, yay, but his stuff is meh and he’s a middle rotation guy – Not an Ace whatsoever.