Cubs recall outfielder Junior Lake, option righthander Brian Schlitter to Triple-A

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs today recalled outfielder Junior Lake from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-handed pitcher Brian Schlitter to Triple-A.

Lake will be available for the Cubs tonight in their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.

The 25-year-old Lake has played parts of the last two seasons with the Cubs and is a career .243 (132-for-544) hitter with 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 41 RBI in 172 games. He has played 85 games in left field, 63 games in center field and one game in right field.

Lake is batting .289 (13-for-45) with two doubles and eight RBI in 13 games with Iowa this season. He hit .319 (15-for-47) with one homer and nine RBI in 22 Cactus League games with the Cubs this spring.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Lake broke into the big leagues with the Cubs shortly after the All-Star Break in 2013 and batted .284 (67-for-236) with 16 doubles, six homers and 16 RBI in 64 games the rest of the way. He was a member of Chicago's Opening Day roster in 2014 and batted .211 (65-for-308) with 10 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 25 RBI in 108 games last year. He also hit .262 (17-for-65) in 14 games with Iowa last year.

Schlitter, 29, is 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA (6 ER/5.2 IP) in seven relief appearances for the Cubs this season.