Chicago Cubs News

CENTRAL

Caleb Thielbar • RP • Cubs

Caleb Thielbar Earns Save on Saturday, New No. 1 Closer for Cubs?

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar was handed the ball in the ninth inning during Saturday's game against the New York Mets. The Cubs are seeking a new closer while Daniel Palencia (oblique) is on the Injured List. Thielbar got the first crack at the closer role and did a nice job on Saturday. The veteran southpaw tossed a clean inning with two strikeouts to earn his first save of the season. Thielbar only has six career saves, but could end up getting a majority of the save chances while Palenica is out. Ben Brown is also an option, but the Cubs likely want to keep him in his multiple-inning role. Thielbar could be worth a look in the short-term for fantasy managers looking for a source of saves.

Yesterday

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd on Track to Return Next Wednesday

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps) threw 64 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday and reported feeling good on Friday, according to MLB.com. Boyd is on target to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start next Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran left-hander is recovering from a left-biceps strain that sent him to the IL on April 6. It's great news for a Cubs pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries early in the 2026 campaign. While it's good news for Chicago, fantasy managers who have Boyd rostered might want to keep him benched for a tough first matchup back against Philly. In his 3 2/3 innings on Thursday with Iowa, Boyd looked good, striking out six batters and walking one while throwing 64 total pitches. Boyd could be somewhat limited from a pitch-count perspective next week after he's reinstated, which is another reason to fade him as a fantasy play next week.

Yesterday

Daniel Palencia • RP • Cubs

Daniel Palencia Goes on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (oblique) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 14) on Friday with a left-oblique strain, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. It's yet another injury for Chicago's pitching staff, which has been decimated early in the 2026 season. The 26-year-old Palencia has yet to allow a run for the Cubbies so far this year in five relief innings, recording a save, two walks, and five strikeouts along the way. However, he'll now likely have to miss more than two weeks with his oblique injury. In the meantime, right-hander Ben Brown figures to see the majority of save chances for the Cubs with Palencia on the shelf. Palencia hadn't pitched since last Sunday, and now we know why. High-leverage relievers Phil Maton (knee) and Hunter Harvey (triceps) are also on the IL right now. In addition to Brown, Caleb Thielbar could see some save opportunities in Chicago.

2 days ago

Cade Horton • SP • Cubs

Cade Horton Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton (elbow) had Tommy John surgery on Thursday and will need 15 to 16 months of recovery, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. Horton needed a full right-elbow reconstruction. He will miss the rest of the 2026 campaign and most likely the first half of next season as well. The 24-year-old former seventh overall pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma can obviously be dropped in all redraft fantasy baseball leagues, but he should be held in dynasty/keeper leagues. Horton looked solid in his first 23 big-league appearances (22 starts) in 2025, going 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA (3.58 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, and a 97:33 K:BB in 118 innings pitched during the regular season. He had allowed only two earned runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in his two starts this year before being shut down with elbow/forearm issues. The good news for the Cubbies' starting rotation is that veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps) should return to the team sooner rather than later.

2 days ago

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd Strikes Out Six in Rehab Start on Thursday

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps) looked good in his minor-league rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Iowa, allowing three earned runs on four hits while walking one and striking out six in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Boyd is on the 15-day injured list with a left-biceps strain, but the 35-year-old veteran is expected to only need one rehab outing before the Cubs have him rejoin the big-league starting rotation. If Boyd is done making rehab starts in the minors, his next outing for Chicago could come as soon as Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. That wouldn't be the greatest matchup for fantasy baseball purposes, especially with Boyd throwing only 3 2/3 frames on Thursday at Iowa. Boyd allowed seven earned runs in 9 1/3 innings in his first two starts of 2026 before going on the IL, but he also had a 1.87 FIP with 17 strikeouts and three walks. Fantasy managers should be stashing the crafty lefty veteran in most fantasy leagues, especially with his return not far off.

3 days ago

Pete Crow-Armstrong • CF • Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong Struggling to Begin 2026

Across his first 77 plate appearances of 2026, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is hitting .236/.276/.306 with one home run, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and four stolen bases. The 24-year-old was the talk of baseball to start the 2025 season, posting an .847 OPS with 25 home runs and 27 stolen bases before the All-Star break. However, Crow-Armstrong faltered down the stretch, posting a .634 OPS with just six homers in the season's second half. So far in 2026, Crow-Armstrong has been closer to his second-half self. He owns a subpar 4% barrel rate and has struck out in 29.9% of his plate appearances while walking at just a 3.9% clip. Crow-Armstrong's athleticism and elite defense should keep him in the Cubs' lineup and allow him to rack up stolen bases and counting stats. Still, the high-end power/speed upside that Crow-Armstrong showcased early in 2025 is starting to look more like a temporary hot streak than an established level of production.

3 days ago

Nico Hoerner • 2B • Cubs

Nico Hoerner Homers, Drive in Five in Win Over Phillies

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner continued to swing the bat well in Wednesday's 11-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, going 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored as the Cubs' leadoff hitter. Hoerner is one of the hottest hitters in baseball at the moment in the first month of the season, as he's now slashing .324/.410/.507 with a .917 OPS, two home runs, 18 RBI, six stolen bases, 12 runs scored, nine walks, and nine strikeouts in 83 plate appearances over 18 games played. He has five multi-hit games in his last eight games since April 7. Hoener's home run was a two-run shot off left-handed starter Jesus Luzardo in the fifth inning to put the Cubs up 5-1 at the time. It goes without saying that Hoerner should be started in all fantasy formats right now while he's scorching hot. Hoerner is one of the toughest hitters to strike out in the big leagues, giving him a stable batting-average floor since he makes so much contact.

3 days ago

Shota Imanaga • SP • Cubs

Shota Imanaga Strikes Out 11 in First Win of the Season

Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga was on point in Wednesday's 11-2 blowout win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Ballpark. Imanaga was dominant, allowing only one earned run on three hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out 11 in six innings to win his first game of the 2026 season. His 11 strikeouts matched a career-high, and he also had a head-turning 26 swinging strikes and threw 67 of his 97 pitches on the night for strikes. The only run that Imanaga allowed was on a solo shot to shortstop Trea Turner in the first inning. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw settled in from there and didn't allow much of anything else for the rest of his outing in Philly. Imanaga is now 1-1 on the year with a 2.45 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in his 22 innings pitched over four starts. While it will be difficult for Imanaga to repeat this outing in a rematch with the Phillies next week at Wrigley Field, fantasy managers shouldn't be benching him with his fastball velocity up a few ticks this year.

3 days ago

Porter Hodge • RP • Cubs

Porter Hodge to Miss Rest of the Season With Elbow Injury

Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Porter Hodge (elbow) will have UCL surgery on his right elbow and will miss the rest of the season, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. Hodge initially was placed on the 15-day injured list going into the regular season after being diagnosed with a flexor strain in his forearm. Given the timing of his injury and depending on what exact type of surgery he has on his elbow, there's a chance that Hodge won't even be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign. The 25-year-old former 13th-round pick in 2019 made 75 appearances out of Chicago's bullpen the last two seasons, posting a 3.79 ERA (4.11 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 11 saves, 37 walks, and 92 strikeouts in 76 total innings pitched.

4 days ago

Hunter Harvey • RP • Cubs

Hunter Harvey Placed on 15-Day Injured List Due to Triceps Inflammation

Chicago Cubs reliever Hunter Harvey (triceps) has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right triceps inflammation, per Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports Network. The Cubs recalled left-handed pitcher Charlie Barnes from Triple-A Iowa as the corresponding move. Across four innings (four games) before getting injured, Harvey recorded a 6.75 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with four strikeouts. The hard-throwing right-hander has shown flashes of high-leverage effectiveness at points throughout his career, but he's had a difficult time staying healthy in recent seasons. Harvey was limited to just 12 appearances in 2025 by shoulder and adductor issues. In his absence, the Cubs will likely rely more heavily on relievers Ben Brown and Caleb Thielbar as the bridge to closer Daniel Palencia.

7 days ago

Jaxon Wiggins • SP • Cubs

Jaxon Wiggins Dealing With Arm Soreness

Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins (arm) is dealing with soreness in his arm, according to Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. On Thursday, the Cubs' top pitching prospect was scratched from his next start for Triple-A Iowa that was originally scheduled for Friday, and per Hoyer, Wiggins is "being backed up for now." It sounds like they intend to give him some rest before sending him out again, and hopefully it doesn't turn into a longer-term problem. The 24-year-old will likely make his major league debut this season, so long as he's healthy and pitching well. So far, he's made two starts at Triple-A, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and five walks while striking out 10 in eight innings of work. The strikeout potential makes him intriguing for fantasy, so keep an eye out for any updates.

Apr 10

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Starting in Right Field in Season Debut

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) is starting in right field and is batting fifth for the Cubbies in his 2026 season debut on Friday in the series opener against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski at Wrigley Field, according to MLB.com. Suzuki was reinstated from the 15-day injured list on Friday, and he'll immediately enter the starting rotation. The Japanese outfielder sprained his knee on March 14 with Team Japan while playing in the World Baseball Classic. Manager Craig Counsell said that the Cubs will ease Suzuki back into the fold, so fantasy managers should probably expect him to be on the bench for Game 2 of the series against the Bucs on Saturday. The 31-year-old veteran sacrificed some contact for more power last year, hitting a career-high 31 homers and driving in a career-high 103 runs in 151 regular-season games. Hopefully, his knee sprain doesn't sap him of that power in 2026.

Apr 10

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd to Make Rehab Start Next Week

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps) will make a minor-league rehab start next week, according to 670 The Score's Bruce Levine. It's unclear which affiliate Boyd will be making the start for, but regardless, it's a good sign that he'll be back in game action so soon after being placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week with a left-biceps strain. The veteran left-hander is eligible to be activated from the IL for next weekend's series against the New York Mets, but that's unlikely to happen with his rehab coming at some point next week. However, if Boyd fares well during his rehab start in the minors next week, he should be able to rejoin Chicago's starting rotation before the end of April. The Cubs need all the help they can get in their rotation after they just lost right-hander Cade Horton (elbow) for the season. Perhaps Boyd's early-season struggles can be attributed to his biceps injury, as he has a 6.75 ERA over his first two starts. He also has 17 strikeouts and only three walks in his 9 1/3 innings.

Apr 10

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Will be Eased Back into Action

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) will not play every day upon his return from the 10-day injured list, manager Craig Counsell told Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. The Cubs reinstated Suzuki from the IL on Friday, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's not included in the starting nine for the series opener at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates. The 31-year-old Japanese native sprained his knee back on March 14 in the World Baseball Classic while playing for Team Japan, which is why he wasn't available for the Cubbies to begin the 2026 regular season. His playing time might be sporadic initially, but Suzuki will eventually be an everyday player for Chicago between right field and designated hitter. Suzuki launched the ball more in 2025 in his fourth year in the big leagues, setting career-highs in homers (32) and RBI (103) in 651 plate appearances. The hope is that his knee injury doesn't sap him of that power going forward.

Apr 10

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Back From the Injured List

The Chicago Cubs reinstated outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and designated outfielder Dylan Carlson for assignment in a corresponding move, according to Taylor McGregor of Watch Marquee Sports. It remains to be seen if Suzuki will make his season debut in Friday's series opener at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates, so fantasy managers will want to check back when the Cubs release their starting lineup. Suzuki strained his knee while playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic back on March 14, but now that he's back, he should be a lineup regular for Chicago between right field and designated hitter. It will mean less time for Michael Conforto in the outfield. Suzuki's fantasy managers are hoping that his knee injury doesn't sap him of his power after he slugged a career-high 32 homers while driving in 103 in 151 regular-season games in 2025.

Apr 10

Colin Rea • SP • Cubs

Colin Rea Enters Cubs Starting Rotation on Wednesday

Chicago Cubs right-hander Colin Rea will enter the team's starting rotation and make the start on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, according to MLB.com. Rea is going to get a chance to prove he deserves a rotation spot with Matthew Boyd (biceps) and Cade Horton (elbow) on the injured list (Horton is done for the season). The 35-year-old veteran has made two appearances in relief so far in the early going in 2026, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while walking one, striking out eight, and picking up a save in 6 1/3 innings. Rea has a 19.3% strikeout rate in his career and will likely be limited from a pitch-count perspective on Wednesday in his first start of the year, so we wouldn't recommend him as any kind of streamer against the Rays. At best, Rea will probably end up being a matchup-based streamer in deep fantasy leagues for however long he remains in Chicago's starting rotation.

Apr 8

Ian Happ • LF • Cubs

Ian Happ Out Again on Wednesday With Bruised Heel

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (heel) is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday for a second straight night against the Tampa Bay Rays while dealing with a bruised left heel, according to Taylor McGregor of Watch Marquee Sports. Happ is available off the bench, though, which means he should be able to return to action for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates after an off day on Thursday. With Happ out again, Michael Conforto will start in left field for the Cubbies and will hit eighth against Rays right-hander Joe Boyle. Although Happ has already gone deep four times in his first 40 at-bats, he only has eight hits in total (.200 batting average) while driving in seven runs and scoring seven runs for the Cubs. Fantasy managers should check back on Friday to make sure that Happ is back in the lineup before returning him to their starting lineups. Conforto has gone hitless in just two career at-bats against Boyle.

Apr 8

Cade Horton • SP • Cubs

Cade Horton to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery

Chicago Cubs right-handed starting pitcher Cade Horton (elbow) is set to undergo season-ending elbow surgery. Horton was removed from his second start of the season due to this injury, but will now set his sights on returning to the bump in 2027. Horton made his season debut on April 28 and continued to perform at a high level, tossing 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball en route to picking up the victory over the Washington Nationals. In his second outing, Horton logged just one inning of work against the Cleveland Guardians before being removed. After a slow start to his MLB career in the first half of the 2025 season, Horton emerged as a league-winner down the stretch, logging 61 1/3 innings to the tune of a dominant 1.03 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and a 54:15 K:BB. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress, as he may be in danger of missing the start of the 2027 campaign, depending on the extent of the operation. With Horton on the shelf, fantasy managers should expect Javier Assad, Ben Brown, and Colin Rea to continue to see opportunities in the rotation.

Apr 7

Jaxon Wiggins • SP • Cubs

Could Jaxon Wiggins be Next in Line to Join Cubs Rotation?

Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins is a potential candidate to join the team's depleted rotation if the need arises after losing Matthew Boyd (biceps) and Cade Horton (forearm) to injury within the last week. The team called up Javier Assad to pitch on Tuesday, and Colin Rea, who came on in relief for the injured Horton last Friday, could fill the immediate need at starter, but the team may want to see what they have in one of their young arms. Wiggins, whom the Cubs took at the end of the second round in 2023 and is not yet on the 40-man roster, has shown good strikeout stuff in the minors with a career 29.5 percent K%. But he also has some control issues, with a career 12.8 percent BB%, and he owns a 5.09 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in his five career starts at Triple-A. If the 6-foot-6 hurler can display some improved command while maintaining his strong strikeout rate, a debut in Chicago may not be far off. If he's not called up soon, still expect the hard-throwing right-hander -- whose fastball can touch triple-digits -- to be up in the big leagues later in the year. For now, he's not a must-stash, but that could change quickly, so continue to monitor for any updates.

Apr 7

Cade Horton • SP • Cubs

Cade Horton's MRI Results Look Ominous

ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports that Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton's (forearm) MRI results did not look clean, so he will visit with Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Tuesday. Horton is "trending down a bad path." The Cubs pulled Horton from his last start early with a right-forearm strain. At the very least, it looks like Horton is looking at an extended absence, but he could also need season-ending surgery, depending on what Meister says. It's bad news for a Cubs' starting rotation that is already missing Matthew Boyd (biceps) and Justin Steele (elbow). With Chicago's rotation snakebitten by injuries early in the season, both Javier Assad and Collin Rea could end up making plenty of starts in the first half of the season. Horton, a former seventh overall pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma, allowed just two earned runs with two walks and four strikeouts in his first two starts of 2026 before dealing with forearm issues his last time out. For now, keep him stashed in an IL spot in fantasy leagues.

Apr 7

Chicago Cubs News

LEGEND