The Cubs announced that right-hander David Robertson has been activated from the injured list. In corresponding moves, righty Mark Leiter Jr. was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to open a spot for Robertson on the active roster, and a 40-man spot was created when outfielder Michael Hermosillo was moved from the 10-day injured list to the COVID-related injury list, as no designation was given for Hermosillo’s new assignment.
While the Cubs have a long list of injured players in general, Hermosillo joins Jason Heyward and Marcus Stroman as players sidelined without a specific reason, thus indicating an issue related to COVID-19. Robertson was also the non-designated list, and he’ll return to action after being sidelined on May 9.
After signing a one-year, $3MM deal with Chicago in March, Robertson has looked terrific in the early going, posting a 1.50 ERA over 12 innings for the Wrigleyville nine. The 37-year-old pitched only 18 2/3 MLB innings total in 2019-21 (largely due to Tommy John surgery rehab), but Robertson has thus far showed some flashes of his old dominance as a reliable shutdown arm with the Yankees and White Sox.
Hermosillo had been on the 10-day IL with a left quad strain, with a retroactive May 8 placement. The outfielder has seen some starting duty in center field (spelling Heyward when a lefty is on the mound) and has otherwise been used as a backup at all three outfield positions. While Hermosillo hasn’t hit much over parts of five MLB seasons, he has particularly struggled at the plate thus far in 2022, with only two hits and a .364 OPS to show for 35 plate appearances.