Chicago Cubs giving Tsuyoshi Wada a shot in rotation

The Chicago Cubs are giving Tsuyoshi Wada a chance to prove he belongs in their rotation.

Wada, 33, will face the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field in his second Major League start and first in Chicago.

The decision comes shortly after the Cubs named Kyle Hendricks their fourth starter Thursday after trading Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland A’s on the Fourth of July.

Wada leads the Pacific Coast League with 120 strikeouts and ranks second with 113 two-thirds innings pitched. The left-hander is fourth in ERA (2.77) and fifth with a 1.16 WHIP and 10 wins.

Hendricks is the only other Iowa farmhand to have reached the double-digit win total and marks the first time since 2010 Iowa has had multiple 10-game winners with Samardzija (11), Jay Jackson (11), and Casey Coleman (10).

Wada made his big-league debut on July 8 in a double-header at Great American Ball Park, working five innings and giving up five hits, a walk and an unearned run with three strikeouts. The Reds wound up beating the Cubs 6-5 on a Billy Hamilton walk off single.

The Cubs will hold auditions after trading away 40-percent of their rotation for the third consecutive summer. Dallas Beeler, Chris Rusin, Eric Jokisch, and newly-acquired Dan Straily could all get looks in the second half.

The Cubs have not made a corresponding roster move yet to make room for Hendricks and Wada. They will also need to make room for Emilio Bonifacio soon as he should be ready to come back from his rehab assignment for an oblique strain.

Zac Rosscup and Justin Grimm could be sent down to Iowa for the Cubs to hold a five starter, seven relievers pitching staff. Junior Lake or Mike Olt would be destined to Iowa if Arismendy Alcantara stays with the big-league club.

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