Christian Roa is heading back into free agency after clearing outright waivers, while the Cubs will keep Eduarniel Núñez in the organization.
The Cubs put both relievers through outright waivers on Wednesday, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker, after designating them for assignment a week earlier. Roa had the ability to reject a minor league assignment because he has been outrighted before, and he chose free agency instead. Núñez, on the other hand, had never cleared waivers until now, so he does not have that option.
Both pitchers came to Chicago via in-season waiver claims, and both have spent most of the year fighting uphill in the minors. Roa opened the season with his hometown Astros, then moved on to the Twins and Orioles before arriving with the Cubs.
In Houston, he allowed five runs in 8 2/3 big league innings, while issuing seven walks and hitting three batters. The rest of his year has mostly been in Triple-A, where the results have been rough.
The 27-year-old right-hander has allowed 17 runs in 15 1/3 Triple-A innings, with 10 more walks and 21 hits. That’s a hard fall from the dominant Spring Training he put together in Astros camp. The Texas A&M product now owns an ERA close to 5.00 across 185 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level.
Núñez’s season has followed a similar script. He has given up 16 runs in 19 2/3 minor league innings, and he has walked 20 batters while moving through the A’s, Orioles, and Cubs systems.
Núñez was part of the return in the Mason Miller trade, and he made a brief MLB debut with the A’s last year. In the majors, his fastball averaged 98 mph, but that number has dipped by three ticks in Triple-A.
Núñez began his career as a Cubs signee in 2017, and he was at the team’s Arizona complex working on his mechanics when he was designated for assignment. It remains unclear whether the Cubs will leave him there or send him back to Triple-A Iowa.
In Other News...
Cubs May Have Found The One Prospect They Refuse To Move
Josiah Hartshorns first full season in the Cubs system has moved him from promising draft pick to one of the organizations most talked-about names, and Baseball America now has the 19-year-old outfielder at the top of Chicagos farm. After starting in Low-A and moving up to High-A this year, Hartshorns bat and overall momentum have pushed him onto national top-100 lists at both Baseball America and MLB.com, a quick rise for a player the Cubs only added in 2025.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Cubs status as buyers only adds another layer to Hartshorns profile, because contenders often have to decide how much prospect capital they are willing to spend to chase the present. For Chicago, the question is less about whether Hartshorn has value and more about how far that value goes in the front offices thinking, especially when a young player is climbing this fast and drawing this much attention. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Desperately Need July Pitching Help But Only Two Arms Fit
The Cubs pitching depth chart has been stretched thin enough that every healthy arm matters, and July is shaping up as a key month for sorting out who can actually help. Jameson Taillon is expected back around the All-Star break, and that same window should bring a clearer read on Daniel Palencia and Edward Cabrera, which at least gives the front office and coaching staff a little more visibility after a rough run of injuries.
For now, the easiest paths to help run through Triple-A Iowa, where Aaron Bummer and Liam Hendriks have been assigned with a chance to work their way into the major-league bullpen. Both bring the kind of experience Chicago could use in a hurry if they pitch well, but the Cubs still have to piece together enough stable innings in the meantime, which keeps the next few weeks loaded with pressure and uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]