Cubs Promote LHP Charlie Barnes, Place RHP Hunter Harvey on IL
I hope you’re all prepared for the shock of learning that yet another Cubs pitcher has hit the IL. It’s even more shocking that Hunter Harvey is the pitcher in question, what with his spotty track record of health. Wait, none of that is the least bit surprising. The only eyebrow-raising aspect of today’s move is that the Cubs called up lefty Charlie Barnes, someone most fans were unaware was even in the organization.
The 30-year-old southpaw has had a pretty unspectacular MLB career, making just nine appearances for the Twins in 2021, but he’s pitched well for the Iowa Cubs so far. He also pitched for parts of four seasons in Korea before coming back to the States in the Reds org last year. At this point, Craig Counsell needs all the live arms he can find. Barnes was signed to a minor league deal, but the Cubs didn’t have to create an extra roster spot because they were already under the limit on the 40-man.
The Chicago Cubs today selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Charlie Barnes from Triple-A Iowa. In a corresponding move, right-handed pitcher Hunter Harvey was placed on the 15-day injured list with right triceps inflammation (retroactive to April 9).
Barnes, 30, is 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA (3 ER/11.1 IP), 14 strikeouts, a 1.24 WHIP and a .205 opponent average against in three games (one start) with Triple-A Iowa this season. The Cubs signed Barnes to a minor league contract on January 26 of this year.
The lefty has pitched in nine career major league games, all but one as a starter, with the Twins in 2021, going 0-3 with a 5.92 ERA (25 ER/38.0 IP) with 20 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 1.63 WHIP. In parts of six minor league seasons, Barnes is 27-23 with a 3.87 ERA (176 ER/409.0 IP) and 357 strikeouts, compared to 152 walks in 86 games (82 starts) with Minnesota (2017-2021) and Cincinnati (2025).
Barnes spent the 2022-24 seasons pitching for Lotte of the KBO. With the Giants, he pitched to a 35-32 record with a 3.58 ERA (220 ER/553.0 IP), 516 strikeouts, and a 1.27 WHIP in 94 starts. He paced Lotte pitchers in strikeouts in each of his three seasons in the KBO (160, 147, and 171, respectively), and, in 2022 and 2023, led the Giants in innings pitched (186.1 and 170.1, respectively) and was second among starters in ERA (3.62 and 3.28, respectively).
The Sumter, S.C., native was selected by the Twins in the fourth round of the 2017 draft out of Clemson University. He was named the No. 82 prospect for the 2017 draft by Baseball America.
Harvey, 31, is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA (3 ER/4.0 IP) in four relief outings with the Cubs this season.
The Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates today at 1:20 p.m. CT at Wrigley Field. The game can be seen on Marquee Sports Network and heard on 104.3 the Score and, in Spanish, on TUDN Radio 106.7.
