The Cubs Wednesday selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Chang-Yong Lim from Triple-A Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Michael Bowden was designated for assignment. Lim, 37, will wear uniform No. 12 and was available Wednesday.
The right-hander signed a two-year contract with the Cubs this past offseason as he continued his recovery from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in 2012. He returned to the mound this summer and pitched at four different levels in the organization. He advanced to Iowa at the end of July and posted no record with a 0.79 ERA (1 ER/11.1 IP) in 11 relief outings in Triple-A.
Overall this season, Lim had no record and a 1.61 ERA (4 ER/22 1/3 IP) in 21 minor league outings, including five starts. He struck out 24 batters and walked only seven in 22 1/3 innings while limiting opponents to a .173 batting average, including a .135 mark against Triple-A hitters. He did not allow a home run in 22 1/3 innings.
Prior to joining the Cubs, Lim had pitched the last 17 seasons professionally in Korea (1996-2007) and in Japan (2008-12). The Gwangju, South Korea native began his career with Haitai in the Korean Baseball Organization, for whom he pitched three years, before joining Samsung in 1999, where he pitched for nine seasons. Lim has also pitched for Korea in a number of international events, helping his country to a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the silver medal in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Lim joined the Yakult Swallows in 2008 and recorded 128 saves with a 2.09 ERA (54 ER/233.0 IP) in 238 relief appearances. He posted at least 28 saves in four-straight seasons from 2008-11, including three seasons of 30 saves or more (2008, 2010, 2011) before his 2012 season ended after only nine relief appearances due to Tommy John ligament replacement surgery, his second.
Bowden went 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA (18 ER/37.2 IP) in 34 relief appearances with the Cubs this season.
The Cubs 40-man roster stands at 40 players.
