Prior to Saturday’s doubleheader against the Cardinals, the Cubs made a few minor moves, adding an infielder to their South Bend roster while also releasing a right-handed pitcher.
Adbert Alozlay was called up to make the start in the nightcap against the Cardinals and the team also announced the addition of Ildemaro Vargas off waivers from the Twins.
The Cubs made room on their 60-man player pool by letting go of right-hander Jharel Cotton.
Vargas, 29, has played for the Twins and Diamondbacks this season. He made his MLB debut with Arizona in 2017. In 2019, Vargas slashed .269/.299/.413, with six home runs in 201 at-bats, primarily playing second base.
The switch hitter was 8-for-42 in his limited playing time with Arizona and Minnesota this season before the Cubs picked him up off waivers. So, just some added depth in the final few weeks of the regular season for the Cubs’ alternate training site.
As for Cotton, he just wasn’t showing many positive signs and was getting hit hard during summer camp right before the start of the regular season in July. The Cubs traded for him last November, hoping they could fix the righty after struggling with the A’s in 2017 and then undergoing Tommy John surgery.
But it just didn’t work out.
There was one more Cubs-related move on Saturday, as right-handed reliever Casey Sadler was picked up by the Mariners off waivers. The Cubs DFA’d Sadler earlier in the week.
Sadler showed some flashes of success in his brief time with the Cubs, but the walks just continued to be a problem for him. He walked eight batters in just 9.1 innings during his 10 relief appearances.
