Cubs roster move: Adbert Alzolay recalled as 29th man for Saturday doubleheader

Adbert Alzolay threw five outstanding innings against the Cardinals in the second game of a doubleheader August 18, allowing two hits and an unearned run with six strikeouts.

The Cubs announced that Alzolay has been named the “29th man” for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Reds and will be in Cincinnati for both games.

Last year Alzolay had a 7.30 ERA in four appearances (two starts) with the Cubs and posted a 4.41 ERA in 15 starts with Iowa last season, recording 91 strikeouts in 65⅓ innings pitched while limiting opponents to a .215 batting average.

So it’s possible Alzolay will appear in both games Saturday, or neither. Given that he might pitch today, it seems entirely possible that he’ll start one of the games of the doubleheader against the Cardinals next Saturday at Wrigley Field. His outing earlier this month certainly gives some hope that he’ll become the pitcher the Cubs hoped he’d be and he might well be in the mix for the starting rotation in 2021.

That’s for later, though. As always, we await developments.