Cubs activate reliever Grimm, recall Szczur
The Cubs got one of their key relievers off the disabled list, and not a minute too soon with the way the bullpen has been taxed in recent days.
Justin Grimm, who was on the DL since April 10 with right-forearm inflammation, was activated. The Cubs designated reliever Anthony Varvaro for assignment, just one day after calling him up. Varvaro did to appear in Tuesday night's 7-4 loss at St. Louis.
The Cubs also recalled outfielder Matt Szczur from Class AAA Iowa and optioned outfielder Junior Lake to Iowa. Szczur made the big-league roster out of spring training but was optioned to Iowa on April 19. Lake came up from Iowa April 27.
Grimm, 26, was a workhorse of the Cubs bullpen last year, appearing in 73 games and going 5-2 with a 3.78 ERA. On Tuesday, the Cubs brought back another of their onetime workhorses, left-hander James Russell, as they selected him from Iowa. Russell was a Cub from 2010-14 before they traded him to Atlanta last July 31. The Braves released Russell at the end of spring training, and the Cubs signed him to a minor-league deal.
The Cubs entered Wednesday night's game at St. Louis with non-quality starts in three of their previous four games.