Chicago Cubs Move Reliever to Injured List in Pregame Transaction

The Chicago Cubs will be without a veteran arm for at least the next 15 days after Saturday’s transactions.

Jul 13, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Hayden Wesneski (19) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. / Jeff Le-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have moved pitcher Hayden Wesneski to the 15-day injured list and recalled pitcher Hunter Bigge to the Majors, per multiple reports.

This will be Wesneski’s first trip to the injured list this season. The Cubs recalled him from Triple-A Iowa on April 23. He is listed as having a strained right forearm.

The right-hander has pitched in 25 games and started seven in 2024 and is 3-6 with a 3.94 ERA. He has struck out 58 and walked 21 in 61.2 innings.

He pitched on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cubs’ first game after the All-Star break. He gave up one hit and struck out one in 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Wesneski did not make the Opening Day roster this season and started the season with Iowa. He was first recalled on April 17 by the Cubs and then returned to Iowa the next day.

He is in his third Major League season. In 2022 he was a spot start, as he started in 11 of his 34 games and went 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA. He struck out 83 and walked 32 in 89.1 innings.

Wesneski made his MLB debut in 2022 and went 3-2 with a 2.18 ERA in six games (four starts) as he struck out 33 and walked seven in 33 innings.

He was the New York Yankees’ sixth-round pick in 2019 and arrived with the Cubs in 2022 after he was traded to the Cubs for Scott Effross. Wesneski played his college baseball at Sam Houston.

Bigge, a 26-year-old right-hander, is a Harvard product who the Cubs took in the 12th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He was sent to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday. Normally he would have to wait 15 days before he was called back up. But, because he’s an injury replacement he can re-join the Cubs.

He made his Major League debut on July 9 against Baltimore and in three relief appearances with the Cubs he has not figured in a decision and has a 3.88 ERA. He has struck out three and walked two in 2.1 innings.

The Cubs have other pitchers on the injured list. Ben Brown is on the 15-day IL with a neck strain and he was supposed to throw off a mound on Friday in Arizona. The Cubs are hopeful the rookie right-hander could re-join them later this month.

Left-hander Luke Little is on the 15-day IL with a left shoulder strain, while right-hander Keegan Thompson with a right rib fracture.

Left-hander Jordan Wicks, right-hander Julian Merryweather, right-hander Caleb Kilian, right-hander Adbert Alzolay, right-hander Yency Almonte and right-hander Colten Brewer are on the 60-day IL.