The Chicago Cubs have already moved on from Jake Woodford, designating the right-hander for assignment after just one appearance in a Cubs uniform.
Woodford’s stay was brief and came only about a week after Chicago signed him to an MLB deal. His exit opened the door for Phil Maton, who has returned from his second stint on the injured list.
The Cubs had previously cleared space for Woodford by parting with Bryse Wilson on July 4. Wilson’s run in Chicago was short, but it wasn’t empty.
He logged two games for the Cubs, including one strong outing against the Milwaukee Brewers before getting hit hard by the St. Louis Cardinals on July 3.
Woodford then stepped into that roster spot and joined the bullpen for the series finale against St. Louis.
But the Cubs didn’t even get much use out of him. Woodford sat on the roster all week before finally pitching Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds, when he allowed five hits and three runs in two innings.
The decision looks even rougher when measured against what the Cubs gave up and what they got back. Wilson had been effective over a full season more recently than Woodford, and Chicago’s own internal bullpen picture suggested Wilson had the better chance to stick around in 2026. Instead, the Cubs chose a pitcher who has carried an ERA near seven over his last 3.5 seasons.
There’s also the Brewers angle. Wilson was picked up by Milwaukee last week and has already turned in two scoreless appearances, including four shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Woodford, meanwhile, had landed in Chicago after being designated for assignment by the Brewers in June. In Milwaukee, he posted a 6.94 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP across 23.1 innings in 16 games.
Now the Cubs are back to Maton, whose return matters because the club signed him to a two-year deal worth $14 million. He became the first relief pitcher Chicago had signed to a contract longer than one year since Craig Kimbrel in 2019.
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