SAN FRANCISCO – The Cubs pitching staff took another injury hit Thursday, as right-hander Javier Assad landed on the 15-day IL with a strained right forearm extensor.
The Cubs also signed reliever Vinny Nittoli, who was in major-league spring training with the team last year and played 16 games for Triple-A Iowa. He took Assad’s vacated spot on the active roster, and the Cubs transferred reliever Yency Almonte (strained right shoulder) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day to clear a 40-man roster spot.
Right-hander Hayden Wesneski, who opened a bullpen game Wednesday against the Giants and allowed three runs in four innings, is expected to join the rotation in Assad’s absence.
The Cubs have put three starters – Assad, Jordan Wicks (strained right oblique) and Ben Brown (neck) – on the IL in the past three weeks alone. Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Kyle Hendricks all spent time on the IL earlier this season.