reliever medicine Ryan Borucki was not asked for a waiver and was given full access to Triple-A Iowa, tweets Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Borucki reserves the right to decline the assignment in favor of minor league free agency based entirely on his prior career and over three years of major league service. According to Bastian, the left-hander is still deciding whether or not to accept the quest.
Borucki signed a minor league contract with Chicago for the season. The Cubs picked up his contract at the end of April. He was on the MLB roster for two days and did not participate in a single game before being assigned the assignment. While he’s yet to play in the pro leagues this season, the Illinois-born hit the highest level every year between 2018-22.
Much of that experience went to the Blue Jays, who initially picked Borucki in the 15th round in 2012. Borucki enjoyed some success early in his career but has struggled in recent years. Since the start of the 2021 campaign, he carries a 5.33 ERA with a 20.1% hit rate and a high 10.5% walk rate in 49 plays.
Borucki had a rough start to the year in Iowa. Before being called up, he was tagged for 13 runs (earned 12) in nine innings. He punched out 11 balls and produced balls that hit the ground with a good 51.7% rate but went six of the 49 hitters faced.
