Waubonsie Valley grad Bowden happy to be a Cub

To hear Michael Bowden tell it, things couldn't have worked out much better.

Bowden arrived at Wrigley Field on Monday and was activated by the Cubs for the game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs obtained Bowden from the Red Sox Saturday in a trade for center fielder Marlon Byrd.

The 25-year-old Bowden is a graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora and currently is a resident of Oswego.

“I grew up a Cubs fan,” he said. “I'm so grateful to be here. This is an awesome opportunity. I think it was the most exciting time in my career. Right after making my debut and getting drafted, this is a dream come true. I'm very blessed and fortunate and extremely excited.”

Bowden's career with the Red Sox began a lot more happily than it ended, when Boston designated him for assignment on April 15.

But when the Red Sox made him the 47th overall pick in 2005, he met up with the team at Wrigley Field during an interleague series.

“I worked out in '05 right after I got drafted when the Red Sox came to town,” he said. “I came to the field and met the team and the managers and everything. That was a neat experience, too.”

Bowden made his major-league debut in 2008 and spent part of five seasons with the Red Sox until being designated. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said. “I thought I threw the ball well. They just wanted to go in another direction.”

So Bowden went in another direction, literally.

“After I was taken off the roster, I was in Boston for a few days waiting to see what was going to happen, just twiddling my thumbs, and just kind of got bored,” he said. “So I got in my truck and drove back. I've been in Chicago the last five days. I couldn't have written it any better. I was crossing my fingers. Sometimes it just works out.”

Bowden was able to get some throwing in during the wait. He started getting hopeful when trade rumors started.

“This past week has felt like forever,” he said. “Every single day, from the first day I was taken off, I was waiting for a phone call. Just the anticipation of that. ”

Cubs manager Dale Sveum said he'd use Bowden in the middle of the bullpen.

This and that:

To make room for Michael Bowden, the Cubs designated veteran right-hander Rodrigo Lopez for assignment. If Lopez clears waivers, the Cubs can outright him to Class AAA Iowa and put him in the rotation there. Dale Sveum said the Cubs would like to keep Lopez.

Lopez was 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in four games. He pitched most of last season for the Cubs as a starter and went to spring training as a nonroster man.

Setup man Kerry Wood is progressing well on the disabled list from right-shoulder fatigue, said Sveum. Wood's DL stint is retroactive to April 14, and Sveum said it's possible he could do a minor-league rehab stint.