The Cubs reinstated Roberts (finger) from the 15-day injured list Friday.
The right-hander has been on the shelf nearly a month due to a right middle finger laceration, but he's ready to rejoin the Cubs after a five-outing rehab assignment. Roberts has made just three appearances in the majors this year and has pitched 2.2 scoreless frames.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Closing in on return
Rotowire
Roberts (finger) made the fifth appearance of his rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa, striking out one batter while allowing one hit and two walks over a scoreless inning.
Roberts was placed on the 15-day injured list April 14 due to a right middle finger laceration but was cleared to head out on a rehab assignment a week and a half later. Through his five appearances, Roberts has permitted one run while posting a 5:4 K:BB across five innings. He could be a candidate to return from the IL this weekend during the Cubs' three-game series versus the Rangers.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Goes on 15-day IL
Rotowire
The Cubs placed Roberts on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with an undisclosed injury.
It's unclear what injury Roberts is dealing with, but it will cost him at least the next couple weeks of action. The right-hander has made three scoreless appearances out of the Cubs' bullpen this season.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs recalled Roberts from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Roberts will take the place of Phil Maton (knee) in the bullpen. Roberts worked 10 games out of the Cubs' bullpen last season, logging a 6.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 6:2 K:BB across nine innings.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Sent to minors
Rotowire
The Cubs optioned Roberts to Triple-A Iowa on Monday.
He's being replaced on the active roster by Ben Brown, who was recalled from Iowa. Roberts made one appearance for the Cubs after being called up earlier this month, allowing one run while recording two outs.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Returned to Iowa
Rotowire
The Cubs optioned Roberts to Triple-A Iowa on Friday.
Roberts joined the big-league club Tuesday after Porter Hodge (oblique) was put on the injured list. However, he'll head back to Triple-A now that Ryan Brasier (groin) is healthy. Roberts didn't appear in a game during his stint in Chicago.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Sent down to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs optioned Roberts to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.
Roberts was recalled by the Cubs from Triple-A on April 9 and allowed just one run over his first 6.1 innings in the majors. However, the 27-year-old right-hander struggled in his last outing against the Phillies on Saturday, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk over two innings. Tom Cosgrove was recalled by the Cubs from Iowa to provide a fresh bullpen arm.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Summoned from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs recalled Roberts from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
He'll be joining the big club as a replacement on the 26-man active roster for left-hander Justin Steele (elbow), who was placed on the 15-day injured list. Roberts will likely work in middle relief for Chicago after getting off to a strong start to the season at Iowa, with whom he struck out seven batters while walking none over three scoreless innings between his two appearances.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Pitches well in relief Tuesday
Rotowire
Roberts tossed two scoreless innings of relief in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to the Pirates. He allowed one hit and struck out three.
Roberts was pulled from an appearance last week due to right ankle soreness, but he's now logged two scoreless outings since then. The righty is pitching in a low-leverage role for the Cubs and has mostly looked sharp with a 2.60 ERA and 17 strikeouts across 17.1 innings. Roberts still has a high 1.62 WHIP, however, due largely to the seven walks he's issued during his brief time in the majors this season. The 27-year-old will likely be a volatile option unless he starts to exhibit better command.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Nursing ankle injury
Rotowire
Roberts was lifted from Wednesday's appearance against the Pirates in the fourth inning due to right ankle soreness, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Consider the reliever day-to-day for the time being. Roberts was charged with two runs over 1.1 innings in the appearance before being pulled.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Back in majors
Rotowire
The Cubs recalled Roberts from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The Cubs traded Mark Leiter to the Yankees on Tuesday, so Roberts will now come up from the minors to fill the open spot in Chicago's bullpen. The 27-year-old hasn't allowed a run in six MLB innings this season, though he has surrendered three earned runs in three frames since returning to Triple-A earlier this month.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Sent back to Iowa
Rotowire
The Cubs optioned Roberts to Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Roberts threw two scoreless innings and struck out three batters during a loss to the Cardinals in Game 1 of Saturday's twin bill, and he'll now be sent back to the minors between games. Daniel Palencia was recalled from Iowa in a corresponding move.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Optioned to Iowa
Rotowire
The Cubs optioned Roberts to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The move is to make room on the 26-man roster for Mark Leiter (forearm), who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list. Roberts made three appearances out of the Cubs' bullpen since being called up from Iowa on June 28, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out three over four scoreless innings. Roberts hasn't allowed an earned run over 13.1 innings in Triple-A this season, and the 27-year-old right-hander should be in line for another call-up this season should the Cubs need help out of their bullpen.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Contract selected, sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Roberts' contract Sunday and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Roberts was added to the Cubs' 40-man roster Sunday, replacing Jose Cuas, who was designated for assignment. The right-handed Roberts has pitched 9.2 scoreless innings while striking out 13 batters over 10 appearances with Iowa this season and could be on the cusp of joining the major-league roster.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Cleared to face hitters
Rotowire
Roberts (elbow) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Tuesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Roberts has finally received the green light to face hitters for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery July 13 of last year. He'll likely throw multiple live batting practice sessions before eventually heading out on an extended rehab assignment that will likely last close to the maximum 30 days. Barring any setbacks, Roberts still has a chance to make his return from the 60-day injured list before season's end, though the Cubs will most likely option him to Triple-A Iowa once he's activated.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Closing in on mound work
Rotowire
Roberts (elbow) progressed to throwing off flat ground from 105 feet before the end of spring training, MLB.com reports.
The Cubs haven't provided any recent updates on Roberts within the past month, but unless he's suffered an unreported setback in his recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last July, he's presumably increased his throwing distance off flat ground over the last few weeks and could soon be ready to resume mound work. Given the timing of his elbow procedure, Roberts may face an uphill battle to get back in a minor-league rehab game before the end of the season, but he should be fully cleared ahead of next year's spring training.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Placed on 60-day IL
Rotowire
Roberts (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Cubs on Friday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
This clears a spot on the 40-man roster, which needed an opening after the Cubs signed Edwin Rios on Friday to a one-year deal. Roberts is going to miss the overwhelming majority of 2023 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, and there's a decent chance he won't be able to pitch this season.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Begins throwing program
Rotowire
Roberts (elbow) has started a throwing program, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Roberts posted a video of him throwing at the Cubs' spring training complex in Mesa. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in July, and he's expected to miss most -- if not all -- of the 2023 season while recovering.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Undergoes successful surgery
Rotowire
Roberts (elbow) underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Roberts sustained his right elbow injury during a rehab appearance at Triple-A Iowa in late June and will be unavailable for the remainder of the 2022 season and most or all of the 2023 campaign following Wednesday's procedure. The 25-year-old made his major-league debut in 2022 and posted an 8.22 ERA and 2.09 WHIP in 7.2 innings over nine relief appearances.
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Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Requires Tommy John surgery
Rotowire
Roberts (shoulder) will require season-ending Tommy John surgery after sustaining a right elbow injury during his rehab appearance Sunday at Triple-A Iowa, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Roberts had been on the injured list since the beginning of May due to right shoulder inflammation, but he finally appeared to have put the injury behind him when the Cubs cleared him to go on the rehab assignment last weekend. Ultimately, Roberts faced only one hitter at Iowa before succumbing to a more serious injury that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the 2022 season and most, if not all, of the 2023 campaign. The Cubs haven't yet scheduled Roberts' surgery, but he'll presumably go under the knife within the next week or two.
