Ethan Roberts Had a 1.96 ERA. The Cubs Just Sent Him Down, and Seriously, What Are They Thinking?

Okay, first things first: our Mariners! A 4-0 shutout against the Detroit Tigers? You absolutely love to see it! Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez are out there doing their thing, keeping things rolling early in the season. T-Mobile Park is gonna be rocking all year if we keep this up! But hey, while our boys in blue are taking care of business, some head-scratching stuff is going down in the league. Over in Chicago, the Cubs just pulled a move that makes zero sense if you ask me.

This 1.96 ERA Reliever Just Got Dumped, And No One Understands Why

Seriously, you gotta see this. The Cubs just made a move that has everyone scratching their heads, optioning right-hander Ethan Roberts down to Triple-A Iowa. This dude, 28 years old, has been out there in 14 relief appearances this season, absolutely rocking a 1.96 ERA! A 1.96! You read that right. He's 0-1, sure, but that ERA is lockdown stuff, the kind of production every team, including our Mariners, dreams of having in the bullpen. He just gave up one measly run over one and two-thirds innings against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, so it's not like he totally imploded to force this decision. Across his career, in parts of four major league seasons, all with the Cubs, Roberts holds a 2-3 record with a 4.09 ERA in 54 total relief appearances. This season was looking like a legitimate breakout for him, and they just shipped him out. What gives? This feels like a classic case of a team overthinking it, chasing something else when they had a good thing going.

Javier Assad's Rollercoaster Year Takes Another Weird Turn

And who are they bringing up to take his spot? Another 28-year-old right-hander, Javier Assad. Now, Assad's had a bit of a rollercoaster ride this season, making eight appearances for the Cubs already, three of them starts. He's sitting at a 3-1 record, but then you look at that 5.88 ERA. Not exactly the kind of number that screams "come on up to the bigs!" when you're replacing a sub-2.00 ERA guy, right? The Cubs actually sent Assad to Iowa back on May 17 because they wanted to stretch him out as a regular starter. He had two starts at Iowa to kick off the season, then made three more starts in his most recent Triple-A stint, with an ERA of 6.00 over nine innings. He even pitched just a single inning against Toledo on Wednesday. Zooming out, his full major league career, all five seasons with the Cubs, shows Assad with a 21-13 record and a 3.61 ERA in 86 appearances, 57 of those being starts. He made 29 starts in 2024, going 7-6 with a 3.73 ERA. The long-term stats are decent, but the immediate, early-season production comparison makes this call-up feel like a real head-scratcher. It just looks like a lateral, at best, move, especially considering the arm they just sent away.

So, while the Cubs are out there playing musical chairs with their bullpen, our Mariners are quietly stacking wins and showing everyone what they're made of. That 4-0 victory against the Tigers feels like a statement game, and with players like Cal and Julio leading the charge, we've got so much to be hyped about. Let's keep that momentum rolling! Onward and upward, Emerald City! We'll be watching every pitch.

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.