Cubs roster move: Adbert Alzolay optioned, Rex Brothers recalled

Hey, sometimes guesswork turns out to be real. Earlier today, I wrote this article speculating that Adbert Alzolay would be returned to South Bend, since the Cubs don’t need a fifth starter until September 22, and the injured Andrew Chafin would be activated.

Well, I had it half right.

The Cubs did option Alzolay back to South Bend, but apparently Chafin isn’t quite ready to be activated from the injured list, so instead the team recalled lefthander Rex Brothers from South Bend.

Brothers made two previous appearances for the Cubs this year. One went well and the other didn’t and as a result he has a 11.57 ERA and 2.143 WHIP, as he served up home runs to Nick Castellanos and Nick Senzel in this game July 29. At least he won’t have to face the Reds again. Or, most likely, guys named Nick.

Brothers had been a reasonably effective reliever for the Rockies from 2011-15, but since then he’s been either injured or ineffective. Hopefully, this stint will be better. I would assume he’d head back to South Bend once Chafin is ready to go.

The Cubs’ 60-man Player Pool roster stands at 59 players, with 28 active players on the major league roster (plus three 10-day injured list players) and 28 players in South Bend.