The Blue Jays optioned Little to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.
Little struggled in his first spring with Toronto, surrendering six earned runs in 6.1 innings. The 27-year-old southpaw spent all of last season with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, recording a 4.05 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 73.1 frames.
The Blue Jays acquired Little from the Cubs on Monday in exchange for cash considerations and purchased his contract from Triple-A Buffalo, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Little was knocked around in his lone appearance for the Cubs in 2023 and posted a 4.05 ERA and 73:38 K:BB over 73.1 frames at Triple-A Iowa. The 27-year-old left-hander is now on Toronto's 40-man roster.
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Cubs' Brendon Little: Reports back to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs returned Little to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday.
Since Little joined the Cubs as a replacement player Monday when Adrian Sampson was placed on the restricted list, the 26-year-old southpaw won't be exposed to waivers as he comes off the 40-man roster and heads back to Iowa. Little got the chance to make his MLB debut in the Cubs' 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday, when he was charged with a blown save after surrendering three earned runs on two hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning.
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Cubs' Brendon Little: Called up Monday
Rotowire
Little's contract was selected from Triple-A Iowa on Monday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Little will serve as a replacement player for the Cubs' three-game series in Toronto after Adrian Sampson and Justin Steele were placed on the restricted list. Little has posted a 4.15 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 39 innings over 29 relief appearances at Iowa this year and should serve as a multi-inning relief option for the Cubs in Toronto. Once the series in Toronto ends, Little will head back to Iowa and will lose his spot on the 40-man roster, though the Cubs won't have to expose him to waivers.
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Cubs' Brendon Little: Moves past elbow injury
Rotowire
Little (elbow) has tossed three scoreless innings across three relief appearances since being reinstated from Triple-A Iowa's 7-day injured list May 5. He's scattered one hit and four walks while striking out one in those outings.
Back in November, Little was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left elbow, with the injury sidelining him for the first week of the 2022 minor-league season. Now healthy again, Little will look to carve out a high-leverage role in the Iowa bullpen.
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Cubs' Brendon Little: Dealing with stress reaction
Rotowire
Little suffered a stress reaction in his elbow and has been shut down for six weeks, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Little split the minor-league season between Double-A and Triple-A in 2021. He pitched exclusively out of the bullpen and posted a 3.24 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 41.2 innings while striking out 53. That could have put him in consideration for a bullpen role for the Cubs in 2022, though his inability to have a typical offseason could affect his timeline to reach the majors.
Little will open the year on the 7-day IL at High-A Myrtle Beach with a lat strain, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports.
Callis says it's a minor lat strain, so hopefully Little won't miss a large chunk of the season. He was a first-round pick in 2017, but will need to improve upon the 5.15 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 90:43 K:BB he logged in 101.1 innings at Low-A before gaining relevance in most dynasty leagues.
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Cubs' Brendon Little: Leaves start early
Rotowire
Little exited Monday's outing with an apparent injury, Emily Waldon of The Athletic Detroit reports.
Little managed to toss 4.2 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out four on 64 pitches prior to suffering a potential hip or groin issue, per Waldon. More news on the severity of Little's injury should be released in the near future.
