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Cubs claim LHP Mike Kickham off waivers

The Chicago Cubs claimed left-handed pitcher Mike Kickham off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

The Cubs waived two players they had recently acquired and they were claimed by other teams -- catcher Ryan Lavarnway by Baltimore and first baseman Shane Peterson by Milwaukee. The Cubs recently had claimed both players on Dec. 19.

Kickham, 26, made his major league debut with the Giants in 2013, and has pitched in 14 games (three starts) in parts of the last two seasons for San Francisco, going 0-3 with a 10.98 ERA.

He spent the majority of 2014 with Triple-A Fresno, going 8-8 with a 4.43 ERA in 27 starts, including a 12-start stretch starting in late May in which he went 6-0 with a 2.74 ERA. His 131 strikeouts ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League. He is 31-35 with a 3.97 ERA in 99 career minor league games, all but four as a starter, since he was selected by the Giants in the sixth round of the 2010 Draft.