Cubs roster move: CD Pelham claimed on waivers from Rangers

It’s been a busy pre-Thanksgiving Day around baseball, with the Brewers and Padres making a trade, and San Diego also busy in the free-agent market, signing Drew Pomeranz.

The Cubs were also busy today, with a lesser move: They claimed lefthander CD Pelham on waivers. Pelham had been in the Rangers organization.

Pelham was the Rangers’ 33rd round pick in the 2015 Draft. He’s now 24 and has Pelham 28 saves and a 5.51 ERA (121 earned runs in 197⅔ innings) in 158 career minor league appearances in the Rangers minor league system.

He made 10 big league appearances with Texas in 2018, posting a 7.04 ERA in 7⅔ innings. He didn’t pitch in the major leagues in 2019 and split that season between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Nashville, and trust me you don’t want to look at those numbers (click here if you do).

This seems like a move to get a lefty with some talent who the Cubs think might be helped by their Pitch Lab. He also seems like a guy Theo & Co. might want to run through waivers before spring training.

Here is video of Pelham’s first career MLB strikeout vs. the A’s in September 2018 on a 97 mile per hour fastball.

With this move, the Cubs’ 40-man roster stands at 38.