Cubs recall Jose Martinez, option lefty |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled outfielder/infielder José Martínez from the club’s South Bend Alternate Site and optioned left-handed pitcher Josh Osich to South Bend.
Martínez will be available for the Cubs tonight when they conclude their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field. The 32-year-old Martínez was acquired from Tampa Bay and optioned to South Bend on September 8 after going hitless in his first 14 at-bats with the Cubs. Overall, he is batting .198 (16-for-81) with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBI in 30 games between Tampa Bay and Chicago this year. Martínez is a career .291 hitter (360-for-1,237) with 43 home runs and 182 RBI in 428 major league games covering the last five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2016-19), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Cubs (2020). The right-handed batter and thrower broke into the majors with St. Louis in 2016 and batted over .300 in each of the next two seasons, including a career-best .309 (84-for-272) in 106 games in 2017 and .305 (163-for-534) in 2018 while setting career highs with 152 games, 30 doubles, 17 home runs and 83 RBI that year. Last season, Martínez batted .269 (90-for-334) with 10 homers and 42 RBI in 128 games, his final campaign with St. Louis. Osich, 32, has combined to go 1-1 with a 6.38 ERA (13 ER/18.1 IP) in 17 outings (all but one in relief) between Boston and Chicago this season. The #Cubs today recalled OF/INF José Martínez from the club’s South Bend Alternate Site and optioned LHP Josh Osich to South Bend. pic.twitter.com/QrQsGeB8Vg
