The team will have 10 days to either trade, waive or release Duensing, who had a rough spring in allowing eight runs in seven innings for a 10.29 ERA. That continued a trend after Duensing struggled in 2018, when he had a 7.65 ERA in 48 appearances.
The expectation is that Duensing, 36, will go unclaimed on waivers. In that situation, the Cubs will still owe him $3.5 million for his 2019 contract. In that case, there remains a possibility that Duensing could return to the Cubs on a minor league deal.
In a corresponding move, the Cubs signed 29-year-old lefty reliever Tim Collins, who had been released by the Twins recently. Collins was then optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Collins had a 4.37 ERA in 38 appearances for the Nationals in 2018. He has a career 3.62 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 266 big league appearances.