Cubs Add Vince Velasquez, Place Caleb Thielbar on IL

The Chicago Cubs made a quick pitching move, placing Caleb Thielbar on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring issue. They promoted right-hander Vince Velasquez from the minors to fill the gap.

To clear a 40-man roster spot, the Cubs designated Scott Kingery for assignment after he’d already been sent to Triple-A Iowa. Velasquez, who signed a minor-league deal with a spring-training invite back in February 2026, now steps in as the team juggles bullpen roles and a packed rotation.

Injury forces Cubs to reshuffle pitching staff

Thielbar’s injury forced the Cubs to look for experience and reliable innings in the bullpen. Velasquez brings that, giving Chicago a bit of a safety net for the late innings.

The Cubs are still figuring out how to divvy up relief roles and starter opportunities. By adding Velasquez, they open up some healthy competition and create more options for how to use their arms.

Velasquez might end up as a long man, bridging to late-game situations, or he could settle into a more classic relief spot. It probably depends on how the rest of the bullpen shakes out over the next few weeks.

Vince Velasquez: veteran swingman with a spring invite

Velasquez has been around. The Cubs are hoping to tap into his experience from both the majors and minors.

This year in Triple-A Iowa, Velasquez has a 3.71 ERA. He’s given up seven earned runs in 17 innings, struck out 19, and made four appearances (three as a starter).

He leads the I-Cubs in innings pitched and is tied for second in strikeouts. That suggests he’s ready to help the big-league club right away.

In the majors, Velasquez has pitched in 191 games, starting 144 times for teams like Houston, Philly, San Diego, the White Sox, and Pittsburgh. His MLB record is 38-51 with a 4.88 ERA and 822 strikeouts.

His minor-league numbers aren’t too shabby either: 34-19, a 3.27 ERA, and 513 strikeouts over 109 games. The Cubs clearly value that mix of experience and durability as they figure out his role.

Velasquez will wear No. 56. Chicago could use him as a long reliever to eat innings and keep the bullpen fresh, especially when the team needs a bridge to the late innings.

His arrival might also shift how the coaches use Javier Assad later in games or where Ben Brown fits as a setup man in high-leverage spots. There’s a lot still in flux.

Roster moves and immediate lineup implications

To make room for Velasquez, the Cubs designated Kingery for assignment. With Kingery out, Nicky Lopez got the call-up to the active roster and will wear No. 5.

Lopez brings fresh depth to both the infield and outfield. Velasquez’s addition gives the bullpen another veteran arm as the Cubs hunt for stability early in the season.

Promoting Lopez and moving on from Kingery seems to fit a bigger plan: keep the bench flexible and try out different arms in real games. Lopez offers a new skill set—he could see time protecting the infield, pinch-running, or adding late-game defense.

What Velasquez could mean for the Cubs’ bullpen and rotation

• Long-relief option: Velasquez could stretch out as a longer arm to bridge from starter workloads to late-inning arms.
• Closer or setup potential: Depending on the roster’s evolution, Velasquez might be deployed in multi-inning stints or kept ready as a late-inning option if the closer role becomes available.
• Rotation depth: His presence gives the Cubs a veteran depth piece who could slot into the rotation if injuries or workloads demand it, offering coachable experience and a track record against multiple lineups.
• Roster flexibility: With Velasquez, Lopez and the rest of the bullpen, the Cubs gain flexibility to rotate usage patterns and preserve arms for a demanding early-season schedule.

The Cubs are working through Thielbar’s absence, and now Velasquez joins the bullpen mix. It’s going to be interesting to see how the coaching staff turns spring training progress into results that actually matter.

Velasquez brings a mix of major-league and minor-league experience, plus he’s wearing a new No. 56 jersey. Lopez is stepping into a bigger role too, so the Cubs suddenly have a few more ways to piece things together during these early weeks.

Honestly, it’s worth keeping an eye on how the Cubs use Velasquez—does he become the go-to long-relief guy, or maybe get thrown into high-pressure innings? Maybe he helps calm things down late in games when things get dicey. The Cubs are still searching for that consistent rhythm on the mound, and Velasquez could be a real part of that puzzle.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Cubs roster move: Caleb Thielbar to injured list, Vince Velasquez added