The Cubs have activated pitchers Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood from the disabled list, effective for Thursday's matinee in Cincinnati, the club has announced. The corresponding roster move is to send Randy Wells and Scott Maine back to Triple-A Iowa. Dempster was sidelined with a right quad injury. He'll get the start Thursday against the Reds, on this his 35th birthday.
Wood, 34, was placed on the DL April 20, retroactive to April 14, with what the Cubs termed as "fatigue" in his throwing shoulder, an issue that seemed to have been plaguing him since Spring Training.
Dempster got off to one of the better pitching starts in baseball this season, though you may not have noticed it if the win-loss record is your primary indicator. He is 0-1 with a 1.33 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings. A lack of run support and lack of help from the bullpen have prevented him from an easy 3-0 start.
Wood, on the other hand, has an 11.57 ERA, 2.57 WHIP, a loss and a blown save in just four appearances.
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