Hey, Miguel Amaya DOES stay. I mean, I just finished writing that sentence and the roster move broke.
The Cubs decided they needed another pitcher today, and it’s the return of Michael Rucker. Because the Cubs had been going a pitcher short (Amaya had taken Justin Steele’s roster spot), it makes sense that it’s a position player going out.
That said, it’s not an option situation, as Edwin Rios is actually going on the IL:
In theory, Rios could’ve been the guy optioned out for Rucker anyway – Rios plays so little – but if he’s injured, then that’s the route you go, especially if it means Amaya stays.
As for Rucker, he returns to eat up middle innings and remains frustratingly just shy of establishing himself as something more than that.
(Also, because of the Rios injury and Rucker’s return, it seems Jeremiah Estrada has a roster reprieve for at least another day. As we discussed this morning, though, he will almost certainly not appear in anything remotely close to medium leverage, absent an emergency, any time soon.)