Brault (lat) agreed Wednesday with the Cubs on a contract, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports. According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, Brault will receive a one-year, major-league deal.
Chicago's decision to bring Brault aboard is likely a reaction to the news earlier this week that Adbert Alzolay will miss at least two months after he was diagnosed with a lat strain. With Alzolay presumably headed for the 60-day injured list, the Cubs have youngsters Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson on hand to battle for the final spot in the five-man rotation, and Brault should get a chance to compete for the job as well. A veteran of 52 career MLB starts, Brault's experience may give him the upper hand over Steele and Thompson, though he'll first have to prove that he's healthy again after he finished last season on Pittsburgh's IL with a lat strain of his own.