Late Thursday, the Cubs announced they had acquired left-handed pitcher Tom Cosgrove from the Padres in exchange for cash considerations. Cosgrove was immediately optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
To make room for Cosgrove on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated Caleb Kilian for assignment.
Cosgrove, a 12th-round pick by San Diego in 2017 out of Manhattan College, debuted in the majors in 2023 and impressed with a 1.75 ERA and 0.974 WHIP over 54 relief appearances, allowing just three homers in 51⅓ innings.
However, 2024 was a different story. He struggled with an 11.66 ERA in 18 big league outings and spent most of the year at Triple-A El Paso, where he posted a 4.85 ERA over 32 appearances. He also missed time due to elbow inflammation.
This season, Cosgrove has pitched in four games for El Paso, recording a 7.36 ERA and a 2.182 WHIP. After a promising rookie year, injuries and inconsistency have derailed his progress, making this a potential reclamation project for the Cubs. He’ll turn 29 in June, and if Chicago can help him bounce back, he could bolster their bullpen from the left side.
As for Kilian, his DFA effectively closes the book on the return from the 2021 Kris Bryant trade, with Alexander Canario having been let go earlier this year. Kilian, who turns 28 in June, may still remain in the organization if he clears waivers. He struggled in the majors, posting a 9.22 ERA over eight appearances (five starts), although he ended 2024 on a high note with a solid outing against the Reds. His lone start at Iowa this year saw him allow six runs in just 2⅓ innings. If this marks the end of his time with the Cubs, best wishes to him moving forward.
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