Cubs select RHP Rafael Soriano from Triple-A Iowa
RHP Edwin Jackson designated for assignment
CINCINNATI - The Chicago Cubs have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Rafael Soriano from Triple-A Iowa. Right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson has been designated for assignment.
Soriano, who will wear uniform number 29, will be available for the Cubs tonight when they begin their four-game series in Cincinnati.
The 35-year-old Soriano is 22-28 with 207 saves and a 2.85 ERA (200 ER/630.2 IP) in 585 big league appearances, all but eight in relief, covering 13 seasons with Seattle (2002-06), Atlanta (2007-09), Tampa Bay (2010), the New York Yankees (2011-12) and Washington (2013-14). Over the last three seasons, Soriano has combined to record 117 saves, an average of 39 per season, with a 9-5 record and 2.84 ERA (62 ER/196.1 IP) in 201 relief outings.
Soriano signed a minor league contract with the Cubs on June 9 and tossed seven scoreless appearances between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa. He struck out seven in 7.0 innings while limiting opponents to a .174 batting average.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound righthander primarily served as a set-up man the first seven seasons of his major league career before saving 27 games for the Braves in 2009 and recording a career-high 45 saves for Joe Maddon's Rays in 2010, his first of three seasons with more than 40 saves. He joined the Yankees in 2011 and recorded 23 holds as a set-up man to Mariano Rivera that season and saved 42 games for the Yankees in 2012. He notched 43 saves in 2013 and 32 saves last year with the Nationals.
Soriano went 4-1 with 32 saves and a 3.19 ERA (22 ER/62.0 IP) in 64 relief appearances for the Nationals last season. He has turned in a 3.19 ERA or lower in 10 of his 13 seasons. Soriano is a native of San Jose, Dominican Republic.
Jackson, 31, went 16-34 with a 5.37 ERA (207 ER/347.0 IP) in 82 appearances, including 58 starts, with the Cubs since joining the club on a four-year deal prior to the 2013 campaign. He was 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA (11 ER/31.0 IP) in 23 relief appearances for the Cubs this season.