Cubs Designate Jake Woodford For Assignment

The Cubs announced that trade acquisitions Tyrone Taylor and Ryan Zeferjahn have been activated onto the roster. In corresponding moves, they have optioned outfielder Kevin Alcántara and designated right-hander Jake Woodford for assignment.

Woodford is out of options and needs to be designated for assignment every time he’s pushed off the active roster. The Cubs already did so once around the All-Star Break. They brought him back on a minor league deal and selected his contract a few days before the deadline. Woodford pitched a scoreless ninth inning to finish yesterday’s 10-5 win over the Dodgers, his only appearance in his most recent big league stint.

The 29-year-old Woodford has combined for 26 1/3 innings of 7.18 ERA ball over 18 appearances between the Cubs and Brewers this season. He has finished 16 of those contests, as Woodford essentially only sees action as a long man in a blowout. He’ll go on waivers this week and would again have the right to elect free agency if he clears, which is the likeliest outcome.

Zeferjahn, acquired from the Angels for catcher/designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros and a pitching prospect, adds a much bigger swing-and-miss element to the middle innings. Taylor, who came over from the Mets alongside Clay Holmes, supplants Alcántara as the righty-hitting fifth outfielder. He’ll make his team debut tonight, as he’s hitting eighth and playing left field in Tarik Skubal’s first start in Dodger blue.