All 30 MLB teams have until noon eastern time today to cut their rosters down 28 players for the remainder of the season and the Cubs decided to option a pair of lefties from their bullpen.
Rex Brothers and Justin Steele have been optioned to the team’s South Bend training site, leaving the Cubs with only one left-handed reliever in Kyle Ryan.
Brothers, 32, made the Opening Day roster after an impressive summer camp, but he didn’t get any more chances after his second appearance of the season against the Reds on July 29. He came in to that game to try and get out left-handed hitter Mike Moustakas, but ended up walking him and then served up a grand slam to Nick Castellanos. Brothers allowed another homer and also walked Joey Votto.
Not great when your main job is to get out lefties and you start walking them. David Ross didn’t go back to Brothers after that.
As for Steele, he was called up last week and took Dillon Maples’ spot in the bullpen, but the rookie left-hander didn’t get into a game.
Earlier this week the league adjusted its rule for roster limits. The original plan was for rosters to go from 30 to 28 after two weeks and down to 26 for the final month of the season.
However, with the new plan rosters will remain at 28 for the rest of the year. That includes the playoffs.
The other difference is that taxi squads will increase from three to five players.
