Royals Acquire Luke Little from Cubs via Waivers

The Kansas City Royals have claimed left-handed pitcher Luke Little off waivers from the Chicago Cubs and have optioned him to Triple-A Omaha. This move follows the Cubs designating Little for assignment three days prior.

To accommodate Little on the 40-man roster, the Royals transferred right-handed pitcher Luinder Avila to the 60-day injured list. Avila is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season and potentially all of 2027.

Little, who will turn 26 this month, 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%. However, he has also walked 17.6% of batters faced. His performance in the minors this season has not been significantly better, with a 5.03 ERA across Double-A and Triple-A. The Royals will work with Little to improve his command, as their bullpen has faced challenges this season.