CHICAGO -- The Cubs on Tuesday activated shortstop Dansby Swanson from the 10-day injured list, then announced that longtime starter Kyle Hendricks will move to the bullpen after the worst start of his career.
Hendricks, 34, is 0-4 with a 10.57 ERA in seven starts this season. Despite missing time on the injured list, he still leads the league in runs allowed, including 10 via the long ball, second most in baseball.
"This gives him a chance to work through some stuff," president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Tuesday. "There are some signs of success in there. There are some good things we see, but obviously he hasn't put it together yet. He knows that."
Hendricks has appeared in 254 career games, with all but one as a starter. He's the last remaining member of the 2016 World Series team after the Cubs picked up a $16.5 million option on his contract last winter. The bullpen move could be viewed as a final attempt to revitalize his season; the Cubs should be getting several pitchers back from the injured list soon.
"Our pitching is precarious enough right now that we can't commit to anything long term," manager Craig Counsell said. "We are going day-by-day with a lot of this right now and I think we should. The goal is still to get Kyle on track and back in the rotation."
Hendricks wasn't available for comment, but Counsell said he took the news "good."
"He wants to do what he can to help the team," Counsell said. "That never wavers with Kyle."
The Cubs opened a series against Swanson's former team, Atlanta, on Tuesday night at Wrigley. Swanson went for 2-for-4 with a run scored in Chicago's 4-3 win in 10 innings.
Swanson was placed on the injured list May 8 because of a right knee sprain.
The Cubs also recalled infielder Luis Vázquez from Triple-A Iowa. Vázquez, 24, earned his first major league call-up after batting .262 with 10 doubles and three homers in 39 games with Iowa.
In the corresponding roster moves, the Cubs optioned Pete Crow-Armstrong and infielder Miles Mastrobuoni to Iowa.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.