Cubs Activate Right-Handed Pitcher Jake Arrieta And Select The Contract Of Outfielder Chris Coghlan

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs today activated right-handed pitcher Jake Arrieta from the 15-day disabled list and selected the contract of outfielder Chris Coghlan Triple-A Iowa. Outfielder Ryan Sweeney has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain and left-handed pitcher Zac Rosscup has been optioned to Triple-A. To make room for Coghlan on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list.

Arrieta will make the start this afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Coghlan will be available and wear uniform number 28.

Acquired last July from Baltimore, Arrieta begins his second year with the Cubs after missing the first month of the season with right shoulder tightness. The 28-year-old went 4-2 with a 3.66 ERA (21 ER/51.2 IP) in nine starts with the Cubs last season, limiting foes to a .185 batting average. Arrieta this year made five starts as part of his minor league rehab assignment, going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA (5 ER/20.0 IP) with Single-A Dayton (one outing) and Double-A Tennessee (four outings).

Arrieta is 24-27 with a 5.23 ERA (238 ER/409.2 IP) in 78 major league appearances, all but six as a starting pitcher, with Baltimore (2010-13) and the Cubs (2013). He was originally selected by the Orioles in the fifth round of the 2007 Draft and made his major league debut in 2010 at the age of 24. He was a 10-game winner for the Orioles in 2011, going 10-8 with a 5.05 ERA (67 ER/119.1 IP) in 22 starts, and was Baltimore's Opening Day starter in 2012.

Coghlan, 28, joins the Cubs for the first time after signing a minor league deal with the club this past offseason. He was a non-roster invitee to major league spring training and saw action in 24 games before being assigned to Iowa in the final days of camp. The left-handed batter and right-handed thrower is batting .243 (17-for-70) with five doubles, six RBI, six stolen bases, 13 walks and a .379 on-base percentage in 24 games with Iowa this year.

The 2009 National League Rookie of the Year, Coghlan is a career .270 (383-for-1,419) big league hitter with 82 doubles, 13 triples, 21 home runs and 117 RBI in 393 games with the Marlins (2009-13). He batted .321 (162-for-504) with 31 doubles, six triples, nine home runs and 84 runs scored during his award-winning 2009 campaign. Last season, Coghlan was limited to 70 games with the Marlins due to a right calf injury and batted .256 (50-for-195). 

Sweeney is batting .200 (11-for-55) with two doubles and six RBI in 20 games with the Cubs this season.

Rosscup has no record and a 0.00 ERA (2.2 IP) covering two stints with the Cubs this year.

Fujikawa is continuing his rehab and recovery from last year's Tommy John surgery.