Cubs Cut Ties With Former Blue Jays Pitcher After Very Short Stint

BusinessSportsMoneyCubs Cut Ties With Former Blue Jays Pitcher After Very Short StintByPeter Chawaga,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Peter Chawaga is a writer and editor covering Major League Baseball.Follow AuthorAug 19, 2026, 06:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryVeteran pitcher Josh Fleming has been released by the Chicago Cubs, his second release this season following an unsuccessful stint with the Toronto Blue Jays. Fleming, a six-year MLB veteran, made just one "brutal" three-inning major league appearance for the Blue Jays, surrendering four runs before being designated for assignment. He then signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in July, aiming for a big league return. Despite posting a respectable 3.44 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 18.1 innings at Triple-A Iowa, and consistently demonstrating good control and ground ball tendencies, the Cubs decided to cut ties. Fleming now re-enters free agency, hoping his profile as a depth option will attract new interest.Show More TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 26: The Toronto Blue Jays logo is seen during warms up ahead of the game against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre on July 26, 2024 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Toronto Blue Jays entered the season needing as much pitching depth as they could find, and six-year big-league veteran Josh Fleming briefly looked like a low-cost option who could help stabilize the organization’s pitching pipeline.Instead, Fleming’s 2026 season turned into a series of short-lived opportunities, including a brutal three-inning stint with the Blue Jays this season that might be his only major league appearance now that he has been cast off by the Chicago Cubs.ForbesFormer Cubs Slugger Announces Immediate Retirement After Cancer BattleBy Peter ChawagaChicago Cubs Release Veteran Pitcher After Short St...