Cubs to promote Darnell McDonald if Dioner Navarro to DL

The Chicago Cubs will purchase the contract of outfielder Darnell McDonald from Triple-A Iowa if catcher Dioner Navarro is placed on the disabled list, a source has confirmed to MLBDailyDish. McDonald traveled to St. Louis to meet the Cubs, and will join the roster if Navarro's MRI on Saturday shows that a disabled list stint is required.

McDonald, 34, signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in January and has spent the entire season with Iowa. In 92 games, he hit .236 with 4 HR and 26 RBI.

Originally a first round pick of the Orioles in the 1997 draft, McDonald has appeared in the majors with the Orioles (2004), Twins (2007), Reds (2009), Red Sox (2010-2012) and Yankees (2012) and has posted a .246 average with 19 HR and 78 RBI in 306 career games. His best season came in 2010 with Boston, when he appeared in 117 games, hitting .270 with 9 HR and 34 RBI.

f McDonald takes Navarro's spot on the 25-man roster, the Cubs will be carrying two catchers and five outfielders, which is the norm for major league teams. A 40-man roster spot will also have to be cleared, meaning that a player could be designated for assignment or traded. Outfielders David DeJesus and Nate Schierholtz have been the subject of trade rumors for the last couple of months, but nothing in recent days has linked them to an imminent waiver-wire trade.

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