CHICAGO -- [Adbert Alzolay](https://www.mlb.com/player/adbert-alzolay-640470 \"undefined\") kept repeating the word amazing. Whether it was the moment he got the news or the phone call to his parents, or walking into the Cubs' clubhouse and seeing his last name stitched across the back of a Major League uniform, there has been a flood of emotions for the pitcher.\n\n\"It's just a lot of feelings going right now,\" Alzolay said. \"It feels good to be here with the Cubs.\"\n\nPrior to Thursday's 7-4 win over the Mets, the Cubs recalled Alzolay from Triple-A Iowa.
\n\n“He was the happiest pitcher on the face of the earth at that point,” Maddon said with a smile.\n\nAnd to top it off -- thanks to a six-run outburst in the third and a seventh-inning homer by
The 24-year-old Alzolay was on a trajectory to the big leagues last year, but a right lat injury limited him to eight Triple-A starts and cost him a shot at reaching The Show. Alzolay's spring was delayed by a similar issue prior to this season, but the Cubs took a conservative approach and the young pitcher has blossomed in recent weeks.\n\nDuring Iowa's recent trip to Sacramento, Triple-A manager Marty Pevey summoned Alzolay to his office.\n\n_\"Hey kid, you're going to the big leagues.\"_\n\n\"I called my dad and my mom, all my family,\" said Alzolay, who is the Cubs’ [No. 4-ranked prospect](http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=chc \"undefined\") by MLB Pipeline. \"They were super excited, crying. I started crying with them. It's just a lot of things.\"
\n\nAlzolay's rise to the Majors is also an important moment for the Cubs, who signed him out of Venezuela in December 2012. During Epstein's tenure, Chicago has developed an impressive list of position players, but the organization has faced criticism for the lack of homegrown pitching. Alzolay has a chance to alter the course of that annual storyline.\n\n\"He has the kind of ability that he could transform a group,\" Maddon said. \"I think this is the perfect situation for him to morph into a team like this.\"\n\nOverall, Alzolay has posted a 3.09 ERA in six starts for Iowa this season, but he stumbled out of the blocks. The right-hander has spun a 1.93 ERA over his five most recent starts, amassing 40 strikeouts against three walks in 28 innings in that stretch. That includes 20 hits allowed to go with a .489 opponents' OPS.\n\n\"Right now, he's pitching extremely well,\" Epstein said this past weekend in Los Angeles. \"His curveball's been as good as I've ever seen it the last four or five starts. He's getting a ton of swings and misses with it. He's pitching really well up in the zone with his fastball. His changeup's really come on, too. So, three good weapons for him and pitching with great rhythm and a lot of confidence.\"\n\nEpstein was discussing Alzolay in the wake of the Cubs placing starter