Cubs activate RF Jason Heyward from injured listRussell Dorseyon June 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm

Heyward is slashing .183/.254/.341 with four homers and 13 RBIs this season.

SAN FRANCISCO – The Cubs activated right fielder Jason Heyward from the 10-day injured list before Saturday’s game against the Giants and was back in the lineup, hitting sixth and playing right field. Outfielder Nick Martini was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Heyward has been out since May 20 with a right hamstring strain. The Cubs’ right-fielder is slashing .183/.254/.341 with four homers and 13 RBIs.

Outfielder Jake Marisnick was trending toward returning on Saturday, but after playing in back-to-back games during his rehab stint, his recovery has been a little slower than expected.

Marisnick did some on-field baseball activities before the game under the watch of the team’s medical staff.

“Still some soreness from playing,” manager David Ross said. “We’ll test him and run him pretty diligently today. And then maybe give him one more day off tomorrow, just to see. That recovery process didn’t go quite as smoothly as Jason’s. So we’re gonna give him one more day and then reassess tomorrow. Want to make sure these guys are 100% before we get him back.”

Abbott in, Wieck out

The Cubs also recalled right-hander Cory Abbott from Triple-A Iowa on Saturday and will pitch primarily out of the bullpen. Abbott, who was a starter in Iowa, comes to help supplement the team’s bullpen after a pair of short starts during the first two games of the team’s West Coast swing.

Abbott, 27, was the Cubs’ second-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft and was 1-3 with a 6.39 ERA in five starts this season, but owns a respectable 3.14 ERA over his four minor league seasons.

Left-hander Brad Wieck was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the 26-man roster. Wieck has a 0.00 ERA with nine strikeouts in eight games this season.

“We got to see [Cory] in spring training,” Ross said. “I think Cory’s a guy that has been around a little while and on the radar. I’ve heard nothing but good things about his performances of late. We’re in a situation where we’ve used a lot of bullpen guys lately. You hate to send anybody down, Brad Wieck has been really good for us.

“But with the situation we’ve been through with some short outings from the starters, we need some length down there and some protection on the backside. I think Cory gives us that.”

Cubs claim RHP Dakota Chalmers

The Cubs have claimed right-hander Dakota Chalmers off waivers from the Twins. Chalmers is 9-8 with a 4.38 ERA in 52 career starts. He’ll report to Double-A Tennessee.

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