Cubs roster move: Pedro Strop activated, Dillon Maples to Iowa

Pedro Strop has not pitched for the Cubs in over three weeks, after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain. It showed in his rough last outing, May 6 against the Marlins (three batters faced, two walks, one hit, all three runners scored).

Today, after three rehab outings (three scoreless innings on just 27 total pitches thrown), he’s back:

Dillon Maples looks like he might have turned the corner as a major-league relief pitcher. After a couple of rough outings early this year, his last five with the big-league team: four innings, one hit, four walks, seven strikeouts. He’s been unscored on in seven major-league appearances this year. And he throws pitches that just make hitters look silly, like this:

Maples, undoubtedly, will be back and probably sooner rather than later. He’s good depth to have at Triple-A Iowa.

Presuming Strop is 100 percent now, he’ll almost certainly go back to the closer role.