CINCINNATI -- The Chicago Cubs are giving one of their prospects a chance to spend a couple of days in the majors.
Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara was promoted from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday to fill in while infielder Darwin Barney is on paternity leave.
Alcantara, 22, was in the starting lineup batting second against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. He batted .307 with 25 doubles, 11 triples, 10 homers and 41 RBIs for Iowa.
Manager Rick Renteria decided to let him play while he's around. He'll return to Iowa when the Cubs complete their five-game series in Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon.
"He's going to be here a couple of days and he should be in there," Renteria said. "He's one of our young prospects. Hopefully he'll be able to just enjoy it, be himself."
Barney is batting .224 with 10 doubles, one triple, two homers and 16 RBIs in 70 games. He left after Cincinnati rallied for a 6-5 victory and a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday night.
As planned, the Cubs called up right-hander Dallas Beeler to make his second major league start in Cincinnati on Wednesday. They optioned left-hander Chris Rusin to Iowa to open a spot.
Beeler made his debut in the first game of a doubleheader against Washington on June 28, allowing one unearned run in six innings. Right-hander Kyle Hendricks will make his debut on Thursday in the final game of the series.
The Cubs are trying to figure out who's in the rotation since they traded starters Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland for a package of prospects. Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada made his debut on Wednesday in the second game of the doubleheader and allowed an unearned run in five innings. He returned to Iowa a day later.
"At times, there's the beginning of change, so to speak," Renteria said. "The trade sends a ripple effect through the minor league system.
"For them, it opens opportunities. They still have to perform."
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