Cubs Activate LHP Xavier Cedeño, Place RHP Allen Webster on IL
The Cubs announce Saturday that they have activated lefty Xavier Cedeño Saturday to fill the roster spot left open when Allen Webster was placed on the IL with radial nerve inflammation. Signed to a one-year deal this February, Cendeño missed the start of the season due to a sprained left wrist and has been working his way back at Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
The results have not exactly been glowing, as the lefty has posted a 5.40 ERA and 2.55 WHIP across 10 appearances (6.2 IP). He’s on a big league deal, though, and rehab appearances are often about nothing more than pumping fastballs and getting acclimated to live competition.
Here’s more per the Cubs’ press release:
The southpaw combined to go 2-0 with one save, 11 holds and a 2.43 ERA (9 ER/33.1 IP) in 48 relief appearances between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers last season. He was acquired by the Brewers on August 31 and allowed only one run in 8.0 innings covering 15 outings, good for 1.13 ERA. Cedeño combined to allow only one home run in 33.1 innings last year and limited all batters to a .210 batting average, including a .207 mark vs. left-handed hitters and a .212 mark vs. righthanders.
Cedeño is a career 10-7 with 57 holds, three saves and a 3.69 ERA (72 ER/175.2 IP) in 249 relief appearances covering all or part of eight major league seasons with Houston (2011-13), Washington (2013-15), Tampa Bay (2015-17), the White Sox (2018) and Milwaukee (2018). He has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning by fanning 174 batters in 175.2 innings.
Cedeño’s repertoire is very limited, consisting of an 87 mph cutter and a curveball, so he has to be sharp to be effective. But hey, it’s (almost) always good to have another southpaw in the ‘pen.