Cubs start September call-ups with return of forgotten reliever squeezed out before

Early word leaked out on Monday that the Chicago Cubs would be calling up infield prospect BJ Murray as part of the roster expansion with the calendar flipping to September, and the other arrival is a relief pitcher that fans may have forgotten about.

Tyler Ferguson has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa. While some Cubs fans may have been hoping to see Javier Assad's return to Wrigley Field on Tuesday, he started on Sunday for the Iowa Cubs. Considering he likely wouldn't be available to pitch on Tuesday or Wednesday, it wouldn't have made sense for the Cubs to immediately use one of the expanded roster spots on Assad.

Cubs round out September moves by bringing back reliever squeezed out by numbers game

As has been the case with Assad, Ferguson was previously squeezed out of the picture, considering he was one of the few pitchers on the 40-man roster with options remaining.

When the Cubs' pitching staff is in much more dire straits earlier this season, Jed Hoyer circled Ferguson as an under-the-radar addition that could smooth things over. To his credit, Ferguson proved to be a worthwhile gamble for the Cubs. Through 16 appearances with the Cubs earlier this season, Ferguson posted an ERA of 3.45 while striking out over 30% of the hitters he's faced.

With the recent struggles of Jacob Webb, Daniel Palencia, and Ryan Zeferjahn, the Cubs are facing some questions in the bullpen. If the Cubs are going to find success in October, they will need to have effective options available at the backend of the bullpen. The hope is that it will be that trio of pitchers leading things. If not, perhaps the door will be open to Ferguson having a larger role of consequence moving forward.

As for Murray, he gives the Cubs some additional pop off the bench while offering the ability to play first base, third base, and left field. He's also a switch-hitter, which should help Craig Counsell play the matchup game to close out the regular season.

It's worth noting that Pedro Ramirez is currently dealing with back spasms, which could be the reason why Murray was the extra position player added instead ascending catching prospect Owen Ayers. There remains a chance that Ayers makes a cameo with the big-league club before the end of the regular season, considering the larger role he's expected to have with the team next season.

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