The Cubs are recalling left-hander Jordan Wicks, according to Taylor McGregor of ESPN. Wicks will be available as a bulk reliever in today’s game, per McGregor. Right-hander Vince Velasquez is being designated for assignment in a corresponding move. That leaves Chicago with an open 40-man roster spot.
After a late-season stop in the Korea Baseball Organization in 2025, Velasquez signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in February of this year. He was selected at the end of April and appeared in one game before being designated for assignment and electing free agency in lieu of an outright assignment. The two parties re-upped on a new minor league pact on May 4th. Velasquez was selected four days ago, again appearing in one game before being designated. He’s thrown 3 1/3 scoreless innings across those two big league games, but he struck out just one batter.
Velasquez has over eight years of service time and has been outrighted twice before, so he can reject another such assignment if he clears waivers. Velasquez has a 6.15 ERA and a troubling 16.2% walk rate in 33 2/3 innings at Triple-A this year. With those poor results, it’s unlikely another team will claim him. A likely outcome is that Velasquez will clear waivers, elect free agency, and sign a new minor league deal with the Cubs shortly after, not unlike the arrangement between the Braves and Carlos Carrasco.
Wicks opened the season on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation, which kept him out of action until May 15th. Since being activated, Wicks has been optioned and recalled twice, throwing just 6 1/3 big league innings in the meantime. Wicks got shelled for eight earned runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Pirates on May 26th. He followed that by allowing three earned runs in two innings against the Cardinals on May 31st.
Wicks has started all 11 of his appearances at Triple-A this year, but he hasn’t been any better there, posting a 6.64 ERA in 42 innings. If he doesn’t appear in today’s game, the Cubs could elect to use Wicks as a spot starter. That’s not exactly a necessity, as the team has two off days between now and the All-Star break. If the starters are all well-rested, Wicks could simply be optioned without making an appearance.
Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images
