Already having acquired starting pitcher Dan Haren earlier in the day, the Cubs added relief pitcher Tommy Hunter in a trade from the Baltimore Orioles in the final hour before Friday afternoon’s trade deadline.
The Cubs sent outfield prospect Junior Lake to Baltimore. He made a splash when he debuted in 2013 but struggled through last season and played in just 21 big-league games for the Cubs, batting .224 with one home run and a bat flip in Miami that created a bench-clearing incident early last month.
Hunter, 29, is a 6-foot-3 right-hander with a 3.63 ERA in 39 appearances. He has 32 strikeouts and 11 walks in 44 2/3 innings.
In announcing the move, the Cubs also announced that recently added reliever Ben Rowen was designated for assignment, making room on the roster and in the bullpen.
Hunter, a former first-round pick of the Texas Rangers and former starter, has a 4.28 ERA in 265 games (75 starts). He has pitched in seven postseason games, including three starts during the Rangers’ World Series run.
Hunter is eligible for free agency after this season.
