The Cubs have run right-hander Jake Woodford unclaimed through outright waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. He has the right to elect free agency and explore other opportunities. Chicago designated Woodford for assignment over the weekend when Phil Maton made it back from the injured list.
Woodford had a brief stint on the big league roster. The Cubs signed him to a major league deal on July 4 and designated him for assignment exactly a week later. The 29-year-old made one appearance, allowing three runs on five hits over two innings in a loss in Cincinnati. He struck out three but surrendered a JJ Bleday home run that broke open a 2-0 game.
That might go down as Woodford’s only appearance in a Cubs uniform. He has now pitched at the highest level for six teams, including every NL Central club except for the Reds. Woodford allowed just under seven earned runs per nine over 23 1/3 innings in a low-leverage relief role for the Brewers earlier in the season. The former supplemental first-round pick found some success with the Cardinals early in his career but has posted an ERA north of 6.00 in each of the last four seasons.
Woodford doesn’t miss many bats or get a ton of ground balls. He has continued to draw interest as a depth arm thanks to his willingness to attack the strike zone and ability to work multiple innings. He’s out of minor league options and needs to get through waivers each time a club takes him off the MLB roster, frequently allowing him to test free agency in search of a team in need of bullpen depth.
