Cubs sign Blue Jays castoff as search for pitching creates an endless roster shuffle

Searching for pitching has been the goal for Jed Hoyer and Co. over the last couple of months, and that has led to an endless amount of roster shuffling. The latest gamble from the Cubs is signing former Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Josh Fleming to a minor-league deal.

Fleming made a bulk appearance of Toronto's bullpen earlier this season, giving up four runs on six hits in three innings of work. However, with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, he posted a 3.08 ERA in tick over 64 innings pitched. He was used almost exclusively as a starting pitcher, so his arrival will give the Cubs another bulk option to call upon if needed.

Fleming's last extended run in the majors was with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024. He posted an ERA of 4.02 in 25 appearances while striking out under 13% of the hitters he faced. Command has always been a concern for Fleming, he walked over 10% of the hitters he faced in 2024.

A potential encouraging sign is that he was only walking 4.1% of the hitters he faced in the minors this season, and his strikeout rate was 19%. No surprise, Fleming is a ground-ball pitcher, something the Cubs likely made note of, considering they have the best defense in baseball.

Small moves will define the Cubs' activity until the trade deadline

Adding a pitcher like Fleming is another reminder that moves of consequence being made by the Cubs is still likely a few weeks away. The Cubs struck an early trade for David Peterson, but as Jed Hoyer recently mentioned, the trade market likely won't start moving in earnest until closer to the trade deadline on August 3.

Before then, the Cubs will need to rely on small moves and some of their established pitchers getting healthy. Edward Cabrera resumed his throwing program last weekend, and Jameson Taillon had a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday. While Cabrera is expected back after the All-Star break, there remains a chance that Taillon could make a shortened start against the Cincinnati Reds this weekend.

It's certainly been a stressful experience for the Cubs, but if they squint, they could be approaching the point in the season when their pitching staff is starting to get healthy. They've bridge the gap, and are now in a position to use the deadline to provide some stability across the entire pitching staff.

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