Chicago Cubs Release Two Long-Time MLB Veterans from Minors

The Chicago Cubs made a couple of transactions as they pruned their minor league roster at Triple-A Iowa.

Mar 16, 2022; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Straily during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Chicago Cubs released two minor-league pitchers, Dan Straily and Kyle McGowin, per the Iowa Cubs’ transactions page.

Both were on minor-league deals, so they’re not opening up space for players on the Major League roster. The Cubs did agree to a minor-league deal with Josh Staumont, which was reported on Friday. This move could be related to getting space on the staff for Staumont.

Unlike Straily and McGowin, Staumont has pitched in the Majors this season. But, the two new free agents have plenty of MLB experience.

Straily, a 35-year-old Redlands, Calif., native, threw eight years in the Majors with Oakland, the Cubs, Houston, Cincinnati, Miami and Baltimore from 2012-19. In that span he went 44-40 in 156 games (140 starts) with a 4.56 ERA. He struck out 681 and walked 312 in that span.

In 2019 he migrated overseas, as he signed with the Lotte Giants in the KBO League and went 15–4 record with a 2.50 ERA and a league-leading 205 strikeouts in 2020.

After that he played two more seasons with the Giants before he returned to the states and signed a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022. He went back to the Giants after he was unable to get a call-up with the D-backs.

In April of this year the Chicago Cubs signed him two days after he signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

He never earned a call-up with the Cubs, as he started 16 gams and made a relief appearance in another. He went 1-7 with a 5.49 ERA with the Iowa Cubs in 78.2 innings. He struck out 75.

McGowin, a 32-year-old right-hander from Southampton, N.Y., hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2021. He made his debut in 2018 and spent four MLB seasons with the Washington Nationals. He pitched in 48 games, all but two in relief, and went 1-0 with a 5.98 ERA. He struck out 77 and walked 28 in 64.2 innings.

He experienced a setback in 2021 when he was diagnosed with a right UCL sprain and was put on Washington’s 60-day injured list.

McGowin didn’t return to the mound until 2023 when he signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. After an excellent Opening-Day start, he signed with the Houston Astros, where he went 3–7 with a 7.36 ERA with Houston’s Triple-A affiliate before he was released.

Afterward, he pitched for the the Lake Country DockHounds of the American Association of Professional Baseball, the CTBC Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League and the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League before he signed with the Cubs on May 10.

With Iowa he went 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA.