Cubs trade Marlon Byrd to Red Sox; Tony Campana and Randy Wells added to roster; Ryan Dempster goes on DL

It's official:  The Cubs have traded centerfielder Marlon Byrd to the Boston Red Sox for RHP Michael Bowden and a player to be named later.  The Cubs will pay most of Byrd's $6.5 million salary for this season.

Also, Tony Campana was called up from Triple-A Iowa today to replace Ryan Dempster, who went on the disable list with a strained right quad.  Randy Wells will take Dempster's spot in the starting rotation and will also replace Byrd on the roster.

Wells was 7-6 with the Cubs last season but lost a spot in the rotation in the spring to Chris Volstad.  "I'm excited to be back," Wells said. "Unfortunately, it's under these circumstances.  Nonetheless, it's an opportunity to get up here and I'm ready to go and show them I can pitch at this level.  You can't sit there and dwell on the negative," he said. "I went to (Iowa) and worked on some stuff and got some stuff straightened out.  The ERA obviously doesn't do it justice, but the pitch quality (was good)."

Veteran pitcher Randy Wells will make his first start for the Cubs this season tomorrow (photo from cubs.com)

The Cubs will play the final game in their 3-game series against the Reds tomorrow at 1:20pm CST.  Randy Wells will make his first start this season, in place of the injured Ryan Dempster.