Cubs option reliever

Jennifer Stewart - USA Today Sports

Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Thursday, March 26 2020

No live baseball but there was a Cubs transaction on Opening Day.

The Chicago Cubs optioned reliever Dillon Maples to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday according to multiple reports.

Maples has only 22.1 major league innings over three seasons with the Cubs with a 5.74 ERA. However, the 27-year-old is a talented strikeout pitcher and FanGraphs ZiPS projections had him with a 107 ERA+, 4.02 ERA, 8.9 BB/9, and a 35.5% strikeout rate this season.

Eventually, when baseball starts up, Maples will be a valuable reliever that will get his chance with the Cubs at some point in 2020.

He was originally selected by the Cubs in the 14th round of the 2011 Draft.

The Cubs now have 38 players in camp.