Cubs select righthander Michael Bowden from Iowa, Option lefthander Brooks Raley to Triple-A

The Chicago Cubs today selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Michael Bowden from Triple-A Iowa and optioned left-handed pitcher Brooks Raley to Triple-A.

Bowden, who will wear uniform number 28, will be available for the Cubs tonight against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.

To make room for Bowden on the 40-man roster, infielder Ian Stewart was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.

Bowden, 25, returns for his second big league stint with the Cubs after going 3-2 with two saves and a 2.76 ERA (10 ER/32.2 IP) in 23 relief appearances for Iowa this season.  He has struck out 35 batters and allowed only two home runs in 32.2 innings while limiting opponents to a .167 batting average.  Bowden has not allowed a run in his four August appearances covering 7.1 innings, limiting foes to a .043 average (1-for-23) in that span.

Acquired by the Cubs from the Red Sox for outfielder Marlon Byrd on April 21, Bowden posted no record and a 6.39 ERA (9 ER/12.2 IP) in 12 big league outings this season between the Cubs and Red Sox before he was designated for assignment on June 1 and later assigned outright to Iowa.  He has a 4.96 ERA (18 ER/32.2 IP) in 26 major league appearances since the start of the 2011 campaign.

Bowden, a 2005 graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the supplemental round (47th overall) of the 2005 Draft.  He has pitched parts of the last five seasons in the majors with the Cubs and Red Sox, going 2-2 with a 5.87 ERA (45 ER/69.0 IP) in 49 appearances, all but two in relief.
 
Raley is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA (10 ER/10.0 IP) in two starts with the Cubs this season and has combined to go 6-10 with a 3.58 ERA (52 ER/130.2 IP) in 22 minor league starts between Iowa and Double-A Tennessee.

Stewart had left wrist surgery on July 10.  He was originally placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 14.