Cubs Reliever's Downturn in Performance, Injuries Leads to Latest Roster Move

The Chicago Cubs made a significant roster move ahead of their second game against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon.

Changing things up in the bullpen, Chicago announced they were designating struggling right-hander Julian Merryweather for assignment and instead recalling fellow right-hander Brooks Kriske from Triple-A Iowa.

The way Merryweather performed not only this year but last year as well made the decision not exactly come as a huge surprise, but it's notable nonetheless based on the caliber of reliever the 33-year-old once was in the Windy City.

Julian Merryweather Being DFA Shows Cubs Urgency to Fix Bullpen

Merryweather was originally acquired by Chicago in the offseason following the 2022 campaign, being claimed off waivers after he was DFA by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Coming off an ugly season in which he pitched to a 6.75 ERA and 1.425 WHIP over 26 appearances, the Cubs clearly saw something they liked and made the decision to bring him in.

That decision paid off virtually immediately and Merryweather was one of the team's best options out of the bullpen during the 2023 season.

Making 69 appearances in what was the best season of his career, Merryweather posted an ERA of 3.38 and struck out 98 batters in just 72 innings, a significantly higher rate than anything else he had ever done.

The 2024 season began in similar fashion for the righty, but as they so often do, injuries began to rear their ugly head.

Spending a stint on the 60–day injured list with a rib stress fracture in the back, Merryweather was out from the beginning of April until late July.

Upon his return, he simply could not recapture the magic of the season prior and put up a 6.60 ERA and 1.80 WHIP over his 15 appearances.

Entering this season seemingly fully healthy, there was hope he could get back to his form from two years prior, but it was instead more of the same.

With a 5.79 ERA and 1.821 WHIP over 21 appearances along with a strikeout rate that kept plummeting from the impressive 12.3 K/9 he had in 2023, the Cubs clearly got to a point where they felt parting ways would be in the best interest of both parties.

In all likelihood, Merryweather will be traded somewhere, and at that point fans in Chicago are going to watch with great interest to see if he can get his career back on track.

His time with the Cubs had run up though, and as disappointing as it was to see, it was likely the right decision for all involved.