Tyler Chatwood is back from the IL, and Jose Quintana is finally officially on the roster.
Today the Cubs activated each pitcher – Chatwood will start tonight in Detroit, Quintana will come out of the bullpen – and optioned reliever Jason Adam and outfielder Ian Miller to South Bend to make room on the active roster.
The choice of Miller, a speed guy, to head down instead of another pitcher is a reprieve for Duane Underwood, Jr., who probably would’ve been the next guy out, but he doesn’t have options left. Thus, if you send him out, you might lose him for good.
Adam look really good at times in his brief stint (literally striking out half the batters he faced), but he is a guy with options in an otherwise crowded bullpen. It made sense that he was the guy to go. Since bullpens turnover and guys get hurt, it’s a good bet he’ll be back at some point this year.