The 2012 Cubs, as you know, were a mess at the MLB level. It was Theo Epstein’s first team as President of Baseball Operations and he had begun a tear-down and rebuild.
On their way to 101 losses, those Cubs had used 11 different starting pitchers and then wanted an additional arm when Blake Parker had an elbow strain in early September. So they claimed Jason Berken off waivers from the Orioles.
Berken had been the O’s sixth-round pick in 2006 and made the big leagues in 2009. He was pretty bad for them in 24 starts that year, a bit better in relief in 2010, worse again in 2011 and then Baltimore gave up on him in 2012.