Cubs option 5th starter Leiter, recall Locke St. John originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
MILWAUKEE — Two days before the deadline for reducing MLB rosters back to the (new) standard 26, the Cubs shuffled the pitching staff deck by sending fifth starter Mark Leiter Jr. back to Triple-A Iowa and recalling left-hander Locke St. John from Iowa.
St. John, who was signed as a minor-league free agent Nov. 28, has made seven career relief appearances in the majors, all with the Rangers in 2019, allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings (5.40 ERA) with five strikeouts and four walks and seven hits allowed.
He spent last season in the Tigers' organization, going 4-0 with a 2.58 in 36 games, including five starts.
Leiter, who was signed as a minor-league free agent in December, was called up April 16 when the Cubs first needed a fifth starter, eventually making three starts in that role, along with a one-inning relief appearance Friday night in Milwaukee.
He allowed nine earned runs on 11 hits and seven walks in 10 1/3 innings (7.84 ERA).
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