The club activated right-handed pitcher Jon Lieber from the 15-day disabled list, activated right-handed pitcher Angel Guzman from the 60-day disabled list and recalled right-handed pitcher Michael Wuertz from Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs recalled infielder Micah Hoffpauir from Iowa and selected the contracts of catcher Koyie Hill and infielder Casey McGehee from Iowa.
Additionally, the Cubs today transferred right-handed pitcher Chad Fox from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Yesterday, the Cubs recalled left-handed pitcher Rich Hill from the Daytona Cubs and placed him on the major league 15-day disabled list with lower back soreness.
Lieber returns to the active roster after being placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 18 (retroactive to July 11) with a right foot strain. He is 2-3 with a 3.43 ERA (17 ER/44.2 IP) in 25 appearances, all but one in relief, with the Cubs this season.
Guzman joins the roster having recovered from “Tommy John” ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow September 6, 2007. He has combined to go 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (3 ER/17.0 IP) in seven rehab appearances (four starts) with Iowa (four appearances, one start), Double-A Tennessee (one start) and Single-A Daytona (two starts) this season. Most recently with Iowa, Guzman went 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA (1 ER/9.0 IP) with 12 strikeouts.
Wuertz went 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA (15 ER/38.0 IP) in 37 relief appearances for the Cubs this season before being optioned to Triple-A on July 11. He went 0-1 with four saves and a 3.60 ERA (8 ER/20.0 IP) in 17 relief outings with Iowa.
Hoffpauir joins the Cubs for his fourth stint of the 2008 season, making his major league debut on May 18 vs. Pittsburgh. He has batted .378 (14-for-37) with six doubles, eight runs scored and one RBI in 19 games with the Cubs this season. With Triple-A Iowa, he set career highs with 25 homers and 100 RBI in 71 games along with a .362 batting average (105-for-290) with 34 doubles and two triples.
Koyie Hill returns to the Cubs after having played 36 games with the club last season. He has spent this season exclusively with Iowa, batting .275 (100-for-364) with 24 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 64 RBI and a .350 on-base percentage in 113 contests. Last year with Chicago, the switch-hitter batted .161 (15-for-93) with four doubles, two homers and 12 RBI. With Iowa, he hit .322 (48-for-149) with 16 doubles and 24 RBI in 47 games.
McGehee (pronounced “McGee”) joins a major league roster for the first time in his six-year professional career. The 25-year-old was originally selected by the Cubs in the 10th round of the 2003 Draft. The right-handed batter and thrower hit .296 (147-for-497) and set career highs with 12 home runs and 92 RBI in 133 games in Triple-A. He joins the Cubs having led Iowa this season in hits, multi-hit games (42) and games played.
Fox was originally placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 20 (retroactive to May 19) with ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. He went 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA (2 ER/3.1 IP) in three relief appearances with the Cubs this season.
Rich Hill went 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA (9 ER/19.2 IP) in five starts with the Cubs this season before being optioned to Triple-A Iowa on May 3.