The Chicago Cubs were very active at the trade deadline earlier this week, acquiring several pitchers to bolster both their rotation and bullpen.
However, on Saturday ahead of Game 2 of their series against the Kansas City Royals, the Cubs had to create roster space to reinstate Clay Holmes, one of the pitchers they acquired who’s set to make his Cubs debut.
Cubs Demote 6-Year MLB Player
In a corresponding roster move, Braxton Garrett, who the Cubs acquired from the Miami Marlins on Aug. 3, will head back to Triple-A Iowa after the team called him up to the big league roster.
The Cubs initially sent Garrett to Triple-A, but three days later they added him to the 26-man roster in what some viewed as a surprise move.
He’s yet to pitch for Chicago and has spent much of his year in the minor leagues, making 16 starts for the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate and two starts in the big leagues with Miami.
Today’s roster move presented by @NuveenInv. pic.twitter.com/yATwfQBY7Y
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 8, 2026
Cubs Fans React to Decision
Many Chicago fans didn’t understand the decision to demote Garrett without giving him an opportunity to pitch.
“Thielbar should be the one being optioned to AAA,” one fan said.
Someone else added, “Why did we call up Garrett just to not even use him?? DFA Thielbar and use Garrett as a lefty out of the pen.”
Another person wrote, “Dude ain’t even played in a game and he was optioned.”
“When we sending Thielbar down… asking for a friend,” another fan wrote.
Garrett’s MLB Career
Garrett debuted with the Marlins in 2020 and has gone 16-20 with a 4.16 ERA over his career in Miami. He also put together back-to-back solid seasons in 2022 and 2023.
He posted a 3.58 ERA across 17 starts in 2022 before following it up with a 3.66 ERA in 31 starts in 2023.
In 2024, Garrett’s ERA jumped to 5.35 across seven appearances before he underwent season-ending elbow surgery. The injury forced him to miss the entire 2025 season before he returned this year and posted a 14.54 ERA across two starts.
Chicago Cubs Demote 6-Year MLB Player Days After Trading for Him