Cubs make several roster moves including activating Ben Zobrist |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today reinstated infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist off of the restricted list and added him to the 25-man roster. Infielder David Bote has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa. To make room for Zobrist on the 40-man roster, outfielder Mark Zagunis has been designated for assignment.
Zobrist, 38, began the season with the Cubs and was batting .241 (20-for-83) with one double and 10 RBI in 26 games before being placed on the restricted list on May 8. Zobrist has spent much of August on a rehab assignment with four different Cubs affiliates, playing 12 games and combining to bat .189 (7-for-37) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, a .333 on-base percentage and a .405 slugging percentage, good for a .739 OPS. Now in his 14th major league season, Zobrist is a career .266 hitter (1,547-for-5,813) with 345 doubles, 166 home runs and 761 RBI in 1,630 games with Tampa Bay (2006-14), Oakland (2015), Kansas City (2015) and the Cubs (2016- ). He is a three-time All-Star and two-time World Champion with Kansas City and Chicago, when he was named the 2016 World Series Most Valuable Player. Bote, 26, is batting .262 (71-for-271) with 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 108 games with the Cubs this year. He is 1-for-10 with a run scored in three games with Iowa this season. Zagunis, 25, batted .250 (9-for-36) with three doubles and five RBI in 30 games with the Cubs this season. With Iowa, he hit .294 (75-for-255) with 26 doubles, six home runs and 43 RBI in 68 games.
