Cubs place reliever Milner on IL with appendicitis

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Chicago Cubs injury-riddled pitching staff suffered another blow when left-handed reliever Hoby Milner was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with appendicitis and right-hander Tyler Ferguson was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.

Milner was 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in a team-high 38 appearances.

“He woke up in the middle of the night and had major stomach pain,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before Saturday’s game against the Brewers. “He Ubered himself to the emergency room and had surgery this morning.”

“We’re fortunate that he’s OK,” Counsell said. “We’re probably looking at four to six weeks.”

Ferguson was called up by Chicago for the third time since being acquired May 7 in a trade with the Athletics.

Ferguson is 0-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two appearances with the Cubs, allowing one run in 3 1/3 innings. He made one appearance this season with the A’s, giving up four runs, including two homers, in 1 1/3 innings.

Ferguson appeared in 56 games last season with the A’s, going 4-2 with a 4.66 ERA.

The Cubs also activated veteran right-hander Bryse Wilson, who was claimed on waivers from Philadelphia earlier this week, and optioned right-hander Jayden Murray to Triple-A.

Wilson was 3-5 with a 6.29 ERA in 12 games, including 11 starts, at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season. He made one appearance with Philadelphia on June 18, tossing two scoreless innings, before being designated for assignment on June 22.

Milner joins the growing list of Cubs pitchers on the injured list.

Saturday’s starter, left-hander David Peterson, was acquired Thursday from the Mets in exchange for minor-league infielder Cole Mathis after starters Edward Cabrera (left hamstring strain) and Ben Brown (neck strain) were placed on the injured list Wednesday.

Starters Jameson Taillon (15-day IL, left hamstring strain), Justin Steele (60-day IL, left elbow flexor strain) and Cade Horton (60-day, right elbow surgery) already were on the injured list.

Right-handed reliever Phil Maton (right knee tendinitis) was placed on the 15-day IL on Saturday to make room for Peterson. Maton also was on the IL from April 8-27. Maton is 0-1 with a 6.08 ERA in 30 appearances with the Cubs.

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