Cubs Cut Ties With Former Blue Jays Pitcher After Very Short Stint
Veteran 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.
The 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.
After opening the year with Toronto, Fleming moved on to the Cubs in hopes of returning to the big leagues. Instead, that latest opportunity has now ended as well.
“Fleming was released by the Cubs on Monday,” CBS Sports reported. “Fleming was brought in on a minor-league deal in July after being released earlier this season by the Blue Jays, but his time with Chicago didn’t last long. He pitched to a 3.44 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 13 strikeouts over 18.1 innings while at Triple-A Iowa.”
It’s a pretty unceremonious turn for Fleming, who seemed likely to return to form with the Blue Jays not long ago only, to be cut from the roster after a single outing in which he gave up four runs in three innings, then released.
“Fleming ended 2025 in the (Seattle) Mariners organization and signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays in February,” AJ Eustace noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “The team selected him for a three-inning relief appearance on April 6, then designated him for assignment the next day. Fleming elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment, though he rejoined on a new minor league pact a few days later. He did not make it back to the big leagues prior to being released (in July.)”
That brief major league appearance ultimately represented Fleming’s entire time in Toronto’s big league bullpen.
But there was still good reason for the Cubs to take a look. Fleming’s minor league performance remained encouraging, particularly for a pitcher whose game has always been built more around contact management than overpowering hitters.
“Fleming’s numbers at Triple-A have been solid, as he’s pitched to a 3.08 ERA in 64 1/3 innings over 13 appearances (12 starts),” Eustace added. “He’s never been one to strike hitters out, but he continued to show above-average control and ground ball stuff.”
The Cubs signed Fleming to a minor league deal in July, shortly after Toronto released him, hoping his ability to limit walks and generate ground balls could provide useful organizational depth.
Fleming delivered respectable results at Triple-A Iowa, posting a 3.44 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 13 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings. But those numbers weren't enough to convince Chicago to keep him around.
The Cubs’ decision to release Fleming this week leaves him to search for another organization, and his profile should still generate some interest despite being cast off by two organizations this year. He owns a 4.86 ERA across 257 2/3 major league innings, yet his ability to induce ground balls and limit free passes gives teams a potential depth option.