Ahead of the second game in a three-game set in Pittsburgh against the Pirates that's headlined by the debut of top pitching prospect Paul Skenes, the Chicago Cubs have been bit once again by the injury bug.
The club announced Saturday that reliever Yency Almonte has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, recalling reliever José Cuas from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding roster move.
Almonte's IL placement is retroactive to May 8, meaning the reliever will be eligible to return on May 23.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Almonte, 29, had recorded four straight scoreless appearances ahead of his IL placement, saw his ERA drop from a 4.91 to a 3.45 over that span.
The righty has thrown 15.2 innings on the season, totaling eight walks and 20 strikeouts with a 3.34 FIP.
As for Cuas, the fellow 29-year-old right-hander gets another chance with the big league club after immensely struggling during his first stint.
Cuas posted a 12.00 ERA over five games with the big league club this season, allowing eight earned runs over six innings with two walks and six strikeouts.
Cubs News
The righty has managed mixed results at Iowa this year, walking four and striking out an impressive 17 hitters over just 8.1 innings, though still allowing eight hits and four earned runs in that stretch.
The Cubs will look to improve to 24-16 on Saturday and take their first series of the year against the Pirates, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m. local time.
Click here to follow the Cubs Talk Podcast.