Cubs make several roster moves |
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Chicago Cubs today selected right-handed pitcher Colten Brewer and recalled right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski from Triple-A Iowa and optioned left-handed pitcher Luke Little and right-handed pitcher Daniel Palencia to Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster for Brewer, right-handed pitcher Julian Merryweather was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Brewer, 31, has pitched to a 1.17 ERA (1 ER/7.2 IP) with a 0-1 record, three saves, a 0.65 WHIP and a .115 opponents’ average (3-for-26) in six relief outings with Triple-A Iowa this season. Among International League relievers (min. 5 G), he ranks fifth in opponent OBP (.172), tied for eighth in WHIP and 12th in opponent average, all of which lead I-Cubs relievers (min. 5 G). In 84 career major league appearances including four starts, Brewer has gone 2-5 with a 4.98 ERA (55 ER/99.1 IP) and 92 strikeouts. He is 22-30 with 24 saves, a 3.94 ERA (193 ER/440.2 IP), 432 strikeouts, compared to 154 walks, and a 1.30 WHIP over 210 minor league games (47 starts). He made his major league debut with San Diego April 12, 2018 vs. San Francisco. The six-foot four-inch Dallas, Texas native was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round of the 2011 draft out of Canton High School. The Cubs signed Brewer to a minor league contract with an invite to major league Spring Training December 23, 2023. Wesneski, 26, has made three appearances (two starts) this season for the I-Cubs, posting a 1-0 record with 2.53 ERA (3 ER/10.2 IP) and 10 strikeouts. In his last appearance—April 12 at St. Paul—he tossed 4.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing three hits and striking out four. In 2023, he spent most of the year with Chicago, making 34 appearances (11 starts) and going 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA (46 ER/89.1 IP). In two stints with Iowa last year, he made five starts, going 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA (3 ER/20.0 IP) with 28 strikeouts. Overall, in parts of two major league seasons with the Cubs, he is 6-7 with a 3.97 ERA (54 ER/122.1 IP) in 40 games (15 starts). Wesneski made his major league debut Sept. 6, 2022 vs. Cincinnati (5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 8 SO) and picked up his first career win in the process. A native of Houston, Texas, the righthander was acquired by the Cubs from the New York Yankees on August 1, 2022 for right-handed pitcher Scott Efross. He was originally selected by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2019 draft out of Sam Houston State University. Little, 23, made six relief appearances and one start with the Cubs this season, posting an ERA of 2.70 (2 ER/6.2 IP). Palencia, 24, owns a 6.00 ERA (4 ER/6.0 IP) in three relief appearances with the Cubs in 2024. Merryweather, 32, was originally placed on the 15-day injured list April 6 with a rib stress fracture. In four relief outings prior to being placed on the injured list, the right-handed pitcher posted a 1.93 ERA (1 ER/4.2 IP) with six strikeouts. The Cubs play the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix today at 2:40 p.m. CT in a game that can be seen on Marquee Sports Network and heard on 670 The Score. The #Cubs today selected RHP Colten Brewer and recalled RHP Hayden Wesneski from @IowaCubs and optioned LHP Luke Little and RHP Daniel Palencia to Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster for Brewer, RHP Julian Merryweather was transferred to the 60-day IL. pic.twitter.com/zJXQ9WK4Qv
