Roster Move: Cubs recall righty pitcher from Triple-A Iowa

Leiter is back in the majors (Photo via Iowa Cubs)

Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Saturday, July 30 2022

SAN FRANCISCO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter Jr from Triple-A Iowa.

Leiter Jr., 31, begins his fifth stint with the Cubs this season having gone 2-4 with a 5.35 ERA (23 ER/38.2 IP) in 14 games (four starts) with the team from April 16-30, May 11-18, May 29-June 3 and June 21-July 16. On July 2 vs. Boston, he became the first Cubs reliever to earn a win while tossing at least 5.1 innings and allowing one-run-or-fewer since Glendon Rusch on July 15, 2004.

The six-foot tall Leiter Jr. signed a minor league contract with the Cubs this past offseason after spending 2021 in the Detroit organization. At Triple-A Iowa in 2022, the righthander owns an 0-3 record with a 5.32 ERA (13 ER/22.0 IP) and 32 strikeouts, compared to six walks in six starts.

Leiter Jr. was claimed off waivers by Toronto September 1, 2018, then underwent Tommy John surgery March 12, 2019, missing the 2019 campaign. He signed a minor league contract with Arizona for the 2020 season, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All told, Leiter Jr. owns a 42-35 record with a 3.56 ERA (253 ER/640.1 IP) in 154 career minor league games, including 99 starts, and is 5-11 with a 5.48 ERA (93 ER/152.2 IP) in 61 career major league games (15 starts). He was originally selected by Philadelphia in the 22nd round of the 2013 Draft out of the New Jersey Institute of Technology.