Chicago Cubs Lose Versatile Reliever to Blue Jays on Waivers

The Chicago Cubs lost one of their relievers on Sunday as he was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.

May 11, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jose Cuas (74) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs lost reliever José Cuas to the Toronto Blue Jays as they claimed him off waivers, reported the Chicago Tribune.

The Cubs designated Cuas for assignment last week to make room for Ethan Roberts on the 40-man roster.

Had no one claimed Cuas, he could have returned to Chicago and been assigned to a minor league affiliate.

The Cubs had Cuas on a yo-yo all season after the right-hander made the Opening Day roster. He was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on April 12, recalled to Chicago on May 11, optioned back to Iowa on May 12, recalled on May 13 and optioned back to Iowa on May 25.

He was with Iowa when the Cubs made the DFA move.

In nine appearances with Chicago this season, he did not figure in a decision and had a 7.43 ERA. He had 14 strikeouts and six walks in 13.1 innings.

With Iowa he was 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in 10 games with 24 strikeouts and nine walks in 11.1 innings.

Cuas joined the Cubs last season when he was traded from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Nelson Velázquez at the trade deadline.

Cuas fit nicely into Chicago’s bullpen, as he went 0-2 with a 3.04 ERA in 27 games. He struck out 19 and walked 14 in 23.2 innings. With the Royals before the trade he was 3-0 with a 4.54 ERA in 45 games, with 52 strikeouts and 21 walks in 41.2 innings.

The Dominican Republic native came stateside and attended high school in Brooklyn, N.Y. and played college baseball at Maryland as an infielder. The Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the 11th round of the 2015 MLB draft.

Cuas played his first three professional seasons as an infielder before the Brewers converted him to pitcher before the 2018 minor league season. He was released midway through the year and signed with the independent Long Island Ducks, where he learned to throw his sidearm delivery and refine his command.

That helped him get a minor-league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019 where he shined, going a combined 6–3 record with a 1.60 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 45 innings in the Diamondbacks’ system. But the COVID-19 shutdown of minor league baseball in 2020 landed him back with Long Island before signing a minor-league deal with Kansas City in 2021.

A terrific 2021 led to a non-roster invitation to spring training in 2022 and the Royals ultimately called him up in late May. He went 4-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 47 games, with 11 holds and a save. He struck out 34 and walked 24.