Cubs Begin September Call-Ups With Return of Forgotten Reliever
The Chicago Cubs have begun their September roster expansion by bringing back a familiar face who had quietly been pushed out of the major-league picture earlier this season.
On September 1, Chicago added right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson to its active roster, along with utility player B.J. Murray. The moves brought the Cubs’ roster to the expanded 28-player limit.
Ferguson’s return is particularly interesting because he had already shown that he could give the Cubs meaningful innings earlier this season. After joining Chicago in May in a trade with Oakland for cash considerations, the reliever appeared in 16 games for the Cubs and produced a 3.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 15⅔ innings.
Despite that performance, Ferguson eventually found himself squeezed out of the major-league bullpen.
Part of the problem was roster flexibility. Ferguson was one of the pitchers on Chicago’s 40-man roster who still had minor-league options, making him easier for the organization to send down when other pitchers needed roster spots.
Now, with September underway and the Cubs preparing for the most important stretch of their season, the door has opened for Ferguson to return.
The timing could prove important.
Chicago has experienced some instability in its bullpen recently, with Jacob Webb, Daniel Palencia and Ryan Zeferjahn among the pitchers facing increased scrutiny after recent struggles. That has created a need for reliable arms capable of taking pressure off the Cubs’ most trusted relievers.
Ferguson could give manager Craig Counsell another option as the Cubs try to navigate the final weeks of the regular season.
His earlier stint was encouraging because of his ability to miss bats. He struck out more than 30 percent of the hitters he faced during his first run with Chicago, an especially notable figure for a pitcher who was initially viewed as more of an under-the-radar addition.
The Cubs acquired Ferguson when their pitching situation was considerably more difficult earlier in the season. What initially looked like a depth move turned into a useful contribution from a pitcher who managed to establish himself in the bullpen.
Now Chicago is hoping he can provide something similar during the postseason push.
The Cubs entered September coming off an explosive offensive performance against the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago crushed Milwaukee 17-3 on September 1, setting a franchise record with nine home runs in one game. Alex Bregman led the historic offensive attack with three home runs.
But while the offense has been producing at an extraordinary level, the Cubs know that pitching will ultimately determine how far they can go.
That makes Ferguson’s return more significant than a routine September call-up.
Chicago doesn’t necessarily need him to become a primary late-inning option immediately. Instead, he can provide another arm capable of handling middle-relief duties, allowing Counsell more flexibility with his bullpen.
There is also an interesting element to Ferguson’s story because he was effectively squeezed out of the roster despite pitching well earlier in the year. The Cubs had enough pitching options at various points that they could afford to send him back to the minors.
September changes that equation.
With expanded rosters and the regular season entering its final stage, Chicago can once again take advantage of Ferguson’s remaining option and his previous major-league experience.
The other addition, Murray, also gives the Cubs additional versatility. The switch-hitting utility player had been having an impressive season at Triple-A Iowa, batting .294/.395/.500 with 16 home runs in 118 games. He can play first base, third base and left field, giving Counsell another matchup option off the bench.
For Ferguson, however, the spotlight will be on the bullpen.
The Cubs have postseason ambitions, and every available pitching option becomes increasingly valuable as the schedule gets tighter. If Ferguson can reproduce the effectiveness he showed earlier this season, his return could become much more important than simply filling a September roster spot.
Chicago has already demonstrated that it can score runs in bunches. Now the challenge is making sure the pitching staff can protect those leads.
Ferguson was once pushed aside because of the numbers game.
Now, the numbers game has worked in his favor.
With the Cubs entering September and preparing for the stretch run, the forgotten reliever has another opportunity to prove that he belongs in Chicago’s bullpen when the games matter most.
