Royals Acquire Luke Little from Cubs

The Kansas City Royals have claimed left-handed pitcher Luke Little from the Chicago Cubs after he was designated for assignment. Following this move, the Royals optioned Little to Triple-A Omaha.

To create space on the 40-man roster, Kansas City transferred right-handed pitcher Luinder Avila to the 60-day injured list due to the need for Tommy John surgery, which will sideline him for the rest of the season and potentially all of 2027.

Little, who is 26 years old, has shown potential as a reliever but has struggled with consistency and command. He has a 2.97 ERA over 36 1/3 major league innings, with a strikeout rate of 28.3% but also a high walk rate of 17.6%. His performance in the minors this season has not improved significantly, as he holds a 5.03 ERA across Double-A and Triple-A. The Royals, facing challenges in their bullpen, will work with Little to enhance his command as they seek to improve their pitching staff.