With the Sept. 1 expansion of MLB rosters, the Chicago Cubs made a slew of changes to the team as they look to make a final push toward the postseason.
The big news on Tuesday comes in the form of infielder Javier Baez, who will make his 2015 debut with the Cubs on Tuesday night when they play the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Baez has been playing at the triple-A level this season as he looks to make adjustments to his swing after a season where he struck out in over 40 percent of his at-bats.
Baez will bat seventh and play second base for the Cubs on Tuesday, taking the place of Starlin Castro at the position.
The Cubs also added outfielder Austin Jackson to their roster after acquiring him from the Seattle Mariners in a trade on Monday night. Jackson will not be in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game, but he will be looked to as an insurance policy for Dexter Fowler in center field and as a spot-starter in left and right field as well.
The Cubs also brought up three more players from the minor leagues in addition to Baez, with outfielder Quintin Berry and relievers Tsuyoshi Wada and Trevor Cahill also making their way to Wrigley Field to join the team. Berry will largely be used as a pinch-runner over the season’s final month, with his blazing speed giving Joe Maddon an extra weapon off the bench.
Cahill and Wada are both capable of making spot starts if necessary, but Clayton Richard would likely get the first call if the need arises.
Finally, the Cubs activated catcher David Ross off of the family medical emergency list.
Chicago Baseball
In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Cahill and Berry, the Cubs also designated pitchers Rafael Soriano and James Russell for assignment. Soriano had been on the 15-day disabled list after getting off to a rough start for the Cubs, but with Fernando Rodney now in the fold and the return of Wada to the big-league roster, there was no room for him with the team.
