Cubs make baffling roster move, cutting ties with a key addition from last winter

Uh, I didn't have this one on my list of expected roster moves.

The Chicago Cubs have designated left-hander Hoby Milner for assignment in a surprising move that comes just as he was reportedly nearing a return from the injured list. Remember, he's been sidelined since undergoing an emergency appendectomy back in June. He last appeared in a big-league game on June 25.

Milner had looked sharp in his recent rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa, carrying a 2.53 ERA across 10 2/3 innings of work, including 3 2/3 scoreless innings dating back to Aug. 19. So it pretty clearly wasn't a performance issue that forced Jed Hoyer's hand - and given the questions surrounding Caleb Thielbar's consistency this year, it's a head-scratcher of a move.

Maybe it's a move made to clear a 40-man spot for a waiver claim? Otherwise, his rehab stint seems to have hit the 30-day limit (and he's pretty clearly healthy), and with rosters expanding Tuesday, there's a chance the Cubs are just playing musical chairs and biding their time. So don't hit the panic button just yet (although it's admittedly very weird at face value).

Cubs need quality left-handed options in the bullpen down the stretch

It's no secret that Thielbar has fallen short of replicating his excellent results from a year ago, and it's almost impossible for me to envision a scenario where Chicago picks him to stick around over Milner (hence me hoping there's more to this than meets the eye). Hoyer brought the latter in on a one-year, $3.75 million deal last winter and, prior to the IL stint, he was as reliable as ever.

The quirky southpaw has made 38 appearances for the Cubs this season, pitching to a 3.53 ERA, avoiding barrels at an elite rate. It's too soon to start flipping over tables about this move - because there's a path to him sticking around once rosters expand. But it's definitely eye-catching given the makeup of the pen and the fact that he was a major offseason addition to the pitching staff - and not the one who's had a disastrous season on the North Side *cough, cough, Phil Maton*.

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