Tyler Ferguson Gives Cubs a 32-Year-Old Arm
The Cubs acquired tyler ferguson from the Athletics on May 7, 2026, adding a 32-year-old right-hander for cash considerations after a month of bullpen injuries. Chicago sent him to Iowa for now, and the move came the same day the club opened a 40-man roster spot by designating Corbin Martin for assignment.
Ferguson Joins Chicago
Ferguson was designated for assignment by the Athletics before the trade, then moved to the Cubs as the latest answer to a staff that had lost several relievers. The additions and subtractions happened on the same day, with Chicago making room before it took the pitcher from Oakland.
The right-hander has spent time as an up-and-down arm between the Athletics and Triple-A Las Vegas. He first reached Oakland’s 40-man roster on May 7, 2024, and his latest move sends him into a new organization with another option year still on the table.
Ferguson’s Run With Oakland
In the majors, Ferguson logged 110 2/3 innings for the Athletics, posted a 4.47 earned runs per nine mark and a 12.6% walk rate, while striking out opponents at a 25.4% clip. He also has four career saves and 22 holds, which shows the kind of middle- and late-inning work Oakland used him for when he was in the big leagues.
His minor league results have been sharper. Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he put up a 2.82 ERA with an 8.2% walk rate and struck out 31.8% of batters faced, but this year he also carried a 6.17 ERA through his first ten Triple-A appearances. That split gives Chicago a pitcher with major league innings and recent success in the minors, but not a clean one-number read on what comes next.
Cubs Bullpen Pressure
The timing fits the Cubs’ current pitching picture. Hunter Harvey, Porter Hodge, Riley Martin, Ethan Roberts and Caleb Thielbar have all hit the injured list in the past month, leaving the club to keep adding arms while it stays tied for the best record in baseball at 26-12.
For now, Ferguson is headed to Iowa and the Cubs have bought themselves another bullpen option without giving up a player in return. Corbin Martin’s DFA cleared the path, and Chicago’s move turns a thin patch in the pitching staff into a roster spot that can be used immediately.
