Cubs Add Tyrone Taylor, Option Kevin Alcántara

It wasn’t a grand slam, but Kevin Alcántara‘s first MLB homer came with a fate worse than just riding the bench. Because the Cubs need a spot for newly acquired outfielder Tyrone Taylor, who will platoon with Ian Happ in left field against tough lefties, Alcántara has been optioned back to Iowa. The timing is tough, but what few opportunities he’d been getting disappeared once Taylor was brought aboard.

I’m still a little surprised that the Cubs weren’t able to move Alcántara in one of the many trades they made over the last couple of days, if only as a sweetener. Several of the prospects they dealt were going to have to be added to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft, and Alcántara is in a similar spot due to this being his last option year. Though the situations are different, it’s a matter of the club having very little flexibility when it comes to keeping these players around.

The good news is that the Jaguar can now see about extending his 41-game on-base streak at Iowa.