Cubs roster move: Jordan Wicks called up to start Saturday, Michael Fulmer to injured list

Jordan Wicks was the Cubs’ first-round pick in the 2021 draft, 21st overall, out of Kansas State, where he posted a 3.24 ERA in 34 starts and struck out 230 in 203 innings.

The lefthander has been called up from Triple-A Iowa and will start this evening at PNC Park against the Pirates. Javier Assad, originally scheduled to go in Saturday’s game, will start Sunday instead. Both could be on schedule to start the doubleheader games Friday in Cincinnati.

That’s pretty much rocketing through the system for Wicks, who will turn 24 on Friday. He’s made 48 starts in the Cubs minor leagues, posting a 3.73 ERA and 1.218 WHIP, with 225 strikeouts in 193 innings (10.5 strikeouts per nine innings) and a good walk ratio of just 2.9 per nine innings.

To make room on the 26-man active roster for Wicks, righthander Michael Fulmer has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain.

The Cubs had plenty of room on the 40-man roster to add Wicks, as other transactions in recent weeks had cleared three spots on that roster. Thus there are still two open spots on the 40-man, and I would suspect one or both of them will be filled by either other callups, or guys who have been on the 60-day injured list, when active rosters can expand by two players this coming Friday, September 1.

All the best to Wicks as he makes his major league debut today against the Pirates.