Maddon welcomes new Chicago Cubs reliever Smith

Sidearm reliever Joe Smith joined the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, one day after his trade from the Los Angeles Angels.

The Cubs hope the right-hander's recent performances are a sign of better things to come.

Before the all-star break, Smith had a 4.80 ERA and a WHIP of 1.47. Since the break and entering Tuesday, he had given up no runs in 7⅔ innings, with a WHIP of 0.65.

"I guess he's been off a little bit, but he's been doing well more recently," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "New ballpark, new team, organization, different league. He's going to be jacked up a little bit. I've got to get him out there and take it for a test drive, see how he's doing.

"I have a lot of faith. I've seen him. I've seen him in the past with Cleveland. The guy is good. He's really good. From what I've been told, he's been throwing the ball well recently. So we'll just get him out there and check it out."

Smith, 32, is a 10-year veteran who also has played for the Mets and Indians. The Cubs obtained him for a minor-league pitcher to help fortify the right side of their bullpen.

"There's only one reason we play this game, and that's to have a chance to win," he said. "To be able to come to this team, with the momentum they've got, not only from this year but last year, it's a good feeling.

"Obviously with the bullpen we've got, we're pretty deep. I just got here, but I'm pretty confident. It's going to be a fun ride. I can't wait."

Maddon has referred to Smith's deliver as "funky," in a good way, because it can throw off hitters, especially right-handers. Smith said he's OK with that description.

"That's better than some of the ways I've heard, so I'll take that," he said.

To make room on the roster, the Cubs optioned reliever Spencer Patton to Class AAA Iowa. Patton came up Monday but did not pitch.

Giving Bryant a break:

Third baseman-outfielder Kris Bryant did not start Tuesday night's game against the Miami Marlins, as Joe Maddon chose to rest him against tough right-hander Jose Fernandez.

"Probably should have done it yesterday, but there was a left-handed pitcher," Maddon said, referring to Adam Conley. "So I did not want to do it against a lefty. It did not matter who was pitching today as long as it was right-handed. I wanted to give him a day off."

Bryant was 1-for-13 over his previous three games.