Cubs roster moves: Robert Stock, Cory Abbott recalled; Trevor Megill optioned, Dillon Maples to IL

The Cubs were short a starting pitcher heading into the series against the Mets, and Wednesday recalled righthander Robert Stock to make the start against Mets ace Jacob deGrom.

Stock has been around the minor leagues, with a bit of major-league time, for quite a while. He’s 31 and was the second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2009 out of USC — that was the round the Cubs picked DJ LeMahieu. Other notable players chosen in that round: Nolan Arenado and Billy Hamilton.

Stock drifted through the Astros, Pirates, Reds and Padres organizations before making 32 relief appearances for San Diego in 2018. That year, he did pretty well: 2.50 ERA, 1.261 WHIP, 0.6 bWAR. The next year was... pretty bad, an ERA over 10 and, well, you probably don’t want to hear the rest. He went on waivers to the Phillies and then to the Red Sox, where he made 10 appearances in relief in 2020.

The Cubs claimed him on waivers last December.

He’s had trouble with walks in his career, but appears to have at least temporarily solved that issue at Triple-A Iowa this year: just four walks in 19⅔ innings, with 25 strikeouts. He’s got a 4.12 ERA in nine appearances (two starts) and threw 66 pitches in his last outing June 8.

Per Fangraphs, Stock throws hard — his fastball averages 97 miles per hour. He mostly sticks with that and a slider, with an occasional changeup.

Here are the rest of today’s roster moves, including the move to make room for Stock ont he 40-man roster:

It would seem likely that Cory Abbott might back up Stock for tonight’s start.

As always, we await developments.