The Chicago Cubs have activated Gold Glove left fielder Ian Happ from the injured list ahead of Tuesday’s game against the host Miami Marlins.
The Cubs also Cubs placed right-hander Porter Hodge on the 15-day IL due to a left oblique strain, with the move retroactive to Sunday. In other moves, the team recalled right-hander Ethan Roberts and optioned rookie catcher/designated hitter Moises Ballesteros to Triple-A Iowa to clear the roster spot for Happ.
Happ, 30, spent the minimum time on the 10-day IL after sustaining a left oblique strain on May 9. He is batting .269 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 39 games this season.
The Cubs selected Happ ninth overall in the 2015 MLB Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He made his debut in 2017 and has hit .249 with 153 homers and 497 RBIs in 1,028 games.
Happ was an All-Star in 2022 and won the Gold Glove Award for left fielders in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Hodge, 24, last pitched on Saturday and pitched a scoreless ninth inning with one hit and one strikeout in a 7-3 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He is 2-1 with two saves, a 5.12 ERA ERA, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings over 21 relief appearances.
Since making his major league debut last season, Hodge is 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA, 11 saves, 30 walks and 71 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings over 60 relief appearances.
Roberts, 27, is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA, two walks and six strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings over nine relief appearances this season.
Ballesteros, 21, is the Cubs’ No. 4 prospect and No. 61 overall, according to MLB Pipeline. The native of Venezuela is batting .188 (3-for-16) with three runs and three RBIs in five games.