Club options right-handed pitcher Mitch Atkins to Triple-A
The Chicago Cubs today recalled outfielder Sam Fuld from Triple-A Iowa and added left-handed pitcher John Grabow to the 25-man roster. Additionally, the club optioned right-handed pitcher Mitch Atkins to Triple-A following yesterday’s game.
Grabow (uniform number 43) and Fuld (uniform number 27) are both available for tonight’s game against the Florida Marlins in Miami.
Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday as part of a five-player trade, Grabow is 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA (18 ER/47.1 IP) in 45 relief appearances for the Pirates this season. He has posted a 2.22 ERA (7 ER/28.1 IP) and a .184 batting average against (18-for-98) in his last 25 appearances during the last two-plus months starting May 24. He has not allowed a run in 22 of the 25 outings, including 11 consecutive scoreless outings from June 24-July 22, covering 12.0 innings pitched.
Grabow, 30, has been especially tough in “close and late” situations this season, limiting opponents to a .212 batting average (22-for-104) in those spots. Overall he is limiting foes to a .246 batting average against, including a .234 mark by righthanders (29-for-124) and a .275 mark (14-for-51) mark by lefthanders.
Fuld, 27, joins the Cubs for his third stint in the big leagues this season. He has batted .368 (7-for-19) with five runs, three doubles and three walks in 12 games for the Cubs this season. Fuld has spent most of the season in Iowa, where he is hitting .284 (93-for-328) with 17 doubles, 10 triples, 33 RBI, 62 runs, 23 stolen bases and 38 walks compared to 24 strikeouts in 84 games.
A left-handed batter and fielder, Fuld made his major league debut with the Cubs in 2007, appearing in 14 games as a September call-up. He was originally selected by the Cubs in the 10th round of the 2004 Draft out of Stanford.
Atkins made his major league debut with the Cubs and tossed a pair of scoreless relief innings in two appearances Wednesday and Thursday vs. the Houston Astros. He is 6-10 with a 6.92 ERA (83 ER/108.0 IP) in 20 starts for Iowa this season.