Chicago Cubs option Junior Lake to Triple-A Iowa

The Chicago Cubs optioned outfielder Junior Lake to Triple-A Iowa after Friday night’s 3-2 loss to the New York Mets to make room for right-hander Dan Straily to make his debut Saturday night at Citi Field.

Lake, 24, batted .130 in 23 at-bats as a pinch hitter and .218 in 257 at-bats as a starter, but only started in two games since June 2.

Manager Rick Renteria hopes Lake will experience an improvement like Mike Olt, who was optioned on July 23 after batting .149 with 84 strikeouts in 187 at-bats. Olt has rebounded to bat .323 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 24 games for Iowa.

Lake will remain at Triple-A for the remainder of the minor league season before rejoining the Cubs in September.

Straily, 25, was acquired last month as part of a blockbuster deal that sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics for top Double-A prospect Addison Russell, Straily and Single-A outfielder Billy McKinney. Straily is 3-3 with a 3.00 ERA in seven starts for Iowa.

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