Cubs roster move: Cole Hamels to paternity list, James Norwood recalled

Cole Hamels and his wife Heidi have four children. They’re about to add a fifth child, as Hamels has been placed on the paternity list, per a press release from the Cubs.

Righthanded reliever James Norwood has been recalled to take Hamels’ place on the 25-man roster. Hamels was not in the rotation for this series; his next scheduled start, which he is expected to make, will be Saturday at Wrigley Field against the Brewers.

Norwood will be in his third stint with the Cubs this season, though he has pitched in only one big-league game, a scoreless inning of relief vs. the Reds on May 24 at Wrigley Field. Norwood has six saves and a 4.28 ERA (26 earned runs in 54⅔ innings) in 43 relief outings with Iowa this year, striking out 80 batters and walking 27 and posting a .198 opponents batting average.

I would expect Norwood, once Hamels is activated for Saturday’s game, to just hang in Chicago for a day and then be put back on the active roster Sunday, when rosters can expand to 40 players.