The Cubs are feeling optimistic about the way their bullpen is trending and made a roster move along those lines Sunday evening.

The team added Ethan Roberts to the 40-man roster and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa. To make room on the roster, the Cubs designated José Cuas for assignment.

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Roberts is a 26-year-old right-hander that might be familiar to Cubs fans from early 2022 when he made his first big-league roster out of Spring Training. It was a great story leading into Opening Day but Roberts only made 9 appearances before he went down with an injury and eventually needed Tommy John surgery.

It’s been a long road back for Roberts but he is now one call away from impacting the big-league bullpen.

In 12 appearances in the minors this season as he works his way back (10 of which came in Triple-A), Roberts has yet to give up a run. He has 13 strikeouts in 11.1 innings while giving up 5 hits, 8 walks and an unearned run.

In his last full season in the minors in 2021, Roberts had a 3.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 4 saves and 72 strikeouts in 54 innings.

Cuas, 29, was acquired at the trade deadline last season from the Royals. He had a 3.04 ERA in 27 games for the Cubs last year but has struggled this season (7.43 ERA in 9 outings).