Bryse Wilson’s brief run with the Cubs has already taken him off the 40-man roster and, for now, into Triple-A Iowa.
Chicago outrighted the right-hander after he cleared waivers following his recent DFA, according to the club’s transaction log at MLB.com. Wilson can accept the assignment, but he also has the option to turn it down and become a free agent.
The Cubs had only just brought Wilson in on a waiver claim from the Phillies, who had designated him for assignment as well. His time in Chicago amounted to two appearances, both in long relief.
The first outing was the kind that can buy a pitcher some breathing room. Wilson worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the NL Central-leading Brewers, striking out four and walking none as the Cubs edged out a 4-3 win.
The second was a completely different story. Against the Cardinals, Wilson lasted 3 1/3 innings and was hit for seven runs on eight hits and a walk. By then, though, the game was already out of reach in what became a 17-1 loss.
Wilson has now appeared in each of the past nine major league seasons. His best stretch came with the 2023-24 Brewers, when he posted a 3.42 ERA across 181 2/3 innings. Outside of that run, the results have been more uneven.
Over 470 2/3 career innings with Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Chicago, Wilson owns a 4.86 ERA and a 16.6% strikeout rate. He has generally thrown strikes well, with a 7.4% walk rate, but he’s also allowed too much hard contact and too many home runs.
Because Wilson is out of options, no club was willing to claim him and carry him directly on a big league roster. If he elects free agency, he could still attract interest from teams looking for bullpen length or rotation depth on a minor league deal. He also has a solid Triple-A résumé, with parts of six seasons there and a 4.21 ERA in 337 2/3 innings.
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