Chicago Cubs News

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Daniel Palencia • RP • Cubs

Daniel Palencia Diagnosed with Flexor Strain

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia (elbow) was diagnosed with a mild flexor strain on Saturday, providing some clarity regarding the injury that has sidelined him for nearly a week. Manager Craig Counsell said that the 26-year-old recently underwent an MRI, which revealed the strain, though it was determined to be minor. The Cubs' closer will be shut down through the team's upcoming road trip, which begins on Monday and concludes next Sunday. At that point, he will be re-evaluated, and a clearer course of action can be determined. In his absence, the Cubs could turn to a committee approach, with Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar, and Jacob Webb all potentially emerging as options to handle save opportunities and close out games for Chicago.

19 hours ago

Carson Kelly • C • Cubs

Carson Kelly Hits Grand Slam, Drives in Six in Rout of Blue Jays

Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly had his hitting shoes on during Friday's matinee contest at Wrigley Field against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Kelly went 2-for-4 at the plate with a grand slam, six RBI, three runs scored, two walks, and a strikeout in the 16-2 blowout win to raise his season batting average to .282 and his OPS to .752. His grand slam came off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman to stretch the Cubs' lead to 6-0 early. The 31-year-old veteran backstop came into Friday's action with a .277/.352/.370 slash line with a .722 OPS, three home runs, 20 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 55 games across 193 plate appearances in his 11th year in the big leagues (second with Chicago). The big game on Friday was nice to see for Kelly, who was 7-for-31 (.226) at the plate with just one homer, a double, three RBI, four runs scored, two walks, and five strikeouts in his previous 11 games during June. In two-catcher leagues, Kelly is a viable option if he gets hot, but he's only rostered in 9% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

Yesterday

Justin Dean • CF • Cubs

Cubs Promote Outfield Prospect Justin Dean to Major Leagues

The Chicago Cubs are calling up outfield prospect Justin Dean from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, according to Milb Central. Dean will make his debut with the Cubs after hitting just .238 (43-for-181) with three home runs, 25 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 38 runs scored in 56 games across 223 plate appearances at Iowa. The 29-year-old former 17th-round selection by the Atlanta Braves in 2018 out of Lenoir-Rhyne University made his big-league debut last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he played in just 18 games and was mostly a defensive replacement late in games, going hitless in two plate appearances with one stolen base and one strikeout. Dean has experience playing all three outfield spots in the minor leagues, but beyond that, he doesn't really have much fantasy upside at almost 30 years old as bench depth for the Cubbies in the short term. In his eight minor-league seasons, Dean has hit .251/.357/.367 with a .723 OPS, 42 homers, 264 RBI, and 253 stolen bases in 745 games played. Fantasy managers should avoid Dean off the waiver wire.

Yesterday

Moisés Ballesteros • C • Cubs

Moises Ballesteros Optioned to Triple-A

Chicago Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday. The struggling slugger will head to the minor leagues and hopefully work out some kinks. This season, Ballesteros is slashing .231/.303/.385 with six home runs, 23 RBI, and 17 walks in 59 games. Over the last 34 games, Ballesteros is hitting .128 with one homer and seven RBI, so a reset could be needed. The Cubs haven't made a corresponding move, but will need to do that ahead of Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The expectation is that the Cubs will likely mix in different options at designated hitter with Ballesteros in Triple-A.

2 days ago

Jacob Webb • RP • Cubs

Cubs Turn to Jacob Webb for Save, is he the Short-Term Name to Roster?

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jacob Webb entered the ninth inning of a three-run game against the Rockies on Wednesday night and was able to secure his second save of the season. Webb allowed a solo home run to Kyle Karros, and he has given up a run in three of his last four starts, but he still could have some fantasy value if he continues to be one of the primary options to fill in for the injured Danny Palencia (elbow), who is on the 15-day injured list. Webb is expected to share the closer role with lefty Caleb Thielbar, who got two outs in the eighth inning on Wednesday before Webb entered. Webb now has a 3.13 ERA, 3.76 FIP, and 1.29 WHIP in his 32 games, with 37 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. It looks like he'll get the first chance to pick up saves for Chicago while Palencia is out, so he's worth a short-term pickup if you need saves for the next few weeks. Thielbar could also get the call if lefties are in the mix, so he's also worth considering as a speculative pickup for saves in deep leagues.

2 days ago

Phil Maton • RP • Cubs

Phil Maton a Worthy Stash Candidate With Clear Path to Save Opportunities?

Chicago Cubs right-hander Phil Maton has largely struggled so far in 2026, recording a 5.92 ERA and 1.77 WHIP with 27 strikeouts across 24 1/3 innings pitched (28 games). However, he may now have a chance to earn save chances in Chicago following the news that Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is hitting the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Maton put together an excellent season in 2025, recording a 2.79 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 81 strikeouts and five saves across 61 1/3 innings split between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. He missed roughly three weeks earlier this season with knee tendinitis, which could explain some of his issues in 2026. Maton has been better in recent appearances, allowing just two earned runs over his last 12 outings. In deeper leagues, he could be worth targeting on the waiver wire as a source of saves.

3 days ago

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd to Make a Rehab Start on Saturday

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab start on Saturday, according to CHGO Sports' Jared Wyllys. It's unclear right now which affiliate Boyd will start for this weekend. Boyd was nearing a return to Chicago's starting rotation earlier this month, but he suffered a setback with his left shoulder during a rehab outing on June 6 with Triple-A Iowa. It is unclear if Boyd will be cleared to come off the 15-day injured list following his rehab outing this Saturday, and it would likely depend on how deep he goes in the ballgame. If the 35-year-old veteran southpaw is cleared to join the Cubs next week, he could return to the rotation to face the last-place New York Mets. Boyd last pitched in the majors on May 3. Although it's a small sample size of only five starts in 2026, he didn't look nearly as good as he did in 2025 in his first year in Chicago, when he went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA (3.65 FIP), 1.09 WHIP, and 154:42 K:BB in 179 2/3 innings over 31 regular-season starts. Boyd has posted a 6.00 ERA this year with a 1.29 WHIP and 31:6 K:BB in 24 innings. Boyd's 22.8% strikeout rate doesn't give him a ton of fantasy upside, especially at his age, but he proved last year he still has some value as a back-end, matchup-based starter when he's healthy.

3 days ago

Edward Cabrera • SP • Cubs

Edward Cabrera Should be Able to Make his Next Start

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander Edward Cabrera (hand) felt good on Wednesday, so he should be on a normal schedule for his next start, provided that his bullpen day goes well, according to Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Cabrera was pulled from his start on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies early due to a right-hand cramp, but the Cubs aren't too worried that it will cause him to miss his next scheduled start. As long as he doesn't suffer a setback with his hand, Cabrera should return to the mound next week in a strong matchup against the last-place Mets. The 28-year-old Dominican hurler has been inconsistent for the Cubs and fantasy managers in 2026 in his first year in Chicago, going 4-4 with a 5.21 ERA (5.14 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 25 walks in 67 1/3 innings pitched across his 13 starts. Cabrera's walk rate is under 10% for the second straight year, but his strikeout rate has dipped to a career-low 21.3%. In his first start against the Mets on April 17 at Wrigley Field, Cabrera came away with a win, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out four in six innings.

3 days ago

Jaxon Wiggins • SP • Cubs

Jaxon Wiggins Back on the Stash Radar Amid Return to Action?

Chicago Cubs starting pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins (elbow) began his rehab stint in the Arizona Complex League this week. Wiggins has been on the shelf since April 4 due to an elbow injury but has been cleared to take the next steps in his recovery. While the right-hander still has a lengthy rehab assignment ahead of him, managers should continue to monitor his production as he may quickly emerge as a top pitcher to stash given his clear path to the majors. In his first pitching appearance in nearly two months, Wiggins logged two innings of two-run ball (one earned) with a 2:1 K:BB. Last summer, Wiggins, the team's No. 3-ranked prospect, spent most of his time at Double-A, where he posted an elite 1.93 ERA with a 52:17 K:BB. With several Chicago starters on the shelf, Wiggins could compete for an MLB debut early in the second half if he is able to move past this injury. For now, managers in deeper leagues should monitor his status as he progresses through the system on this rehab assignment.

3 days ago

Caleb Thielbar • RP • Cubs

Is Caleb Thielbar Primed to See Save Opportunities for Cubs?

Across 19 innings (21 games) so far in 2026, Chicago Cubs left-hander Caleb Thielbar has pitched to a 4.26 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 22 strikeouts and two saves. Despite his modest numbers, Thielbar could be poised to see save opportunities in Chicago with the news that Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is being placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Thielbar was one of Chicago's best relievers in 2025, recording a 2.64 ERA and 0.88 WHIP across 58 innings. While he's unlikely to immediately emerge as the team's primary ninth-inning option, he profiles as the top left-hander in the Cubs bullpen. If Chicago opts for a committee approach to the closer role, Thielbar could get the ball whenever opponents are sending a string of lefty hitters to the plate in the ninth inning. In deeper leagues, Thielbar could be worth targeting on the waiver wire for fantasy managers.

3 days ago

Edward Cabrera • SP • Cubs

Edward Cabrera Leaves his Start Early on Tuesday With Hand Cramp

Chicago Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (hand) was pulled from his start early on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field with a cramp in his right hand, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Cabrera was handed his fourth loss of the year in a 5-2 decision against Colorado, allowing five earned runs on three hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out three in 4 1/3 innings of work. The good news is that Cabrera isn't dealing with blister issues on any of his fingers, an issue that has already caused him to miss time on the injured list this year. For now, we'll consider the 28-year-old Dominican hurler to be day-to-day, but he could be in danger of missing his next scheduled start. In his first year on the North Side of Chicago, Cabrera has been pretty volatile for fantasy managers, as he entered his start on Tuesday against Colorado with a 4.86 ERA (5.08 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 58 strikeouts and 23 walks in 63 innings over his 12 starts. After his rough outing on Tuesday that ended prematurely, Cabrera is sporting a 5.21 season ERA.

4 days ago

Daniel Palencia • RP • Cubs

Daniel Palencia Going on Injured List With Elbow Inflammation

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is heading to the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with right-elbow inflammation, according to Bruce Levine of the Marquee Sports Network. It's the second time that Palencia will head to the IL this year, with his previous time coming from a lat strain. The 26-year-old Venezuelan hurler apparently injured his elbow during his scoreless outing against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in the series opener. Palencia has gone 2-1 this year with a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, three saves, 19 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 2/3 innings over 19 appearances out of the bullpen. It's unclear what direction manager Craig Counsell will go for save opportunities going forward with Palencia on the IL again. If they use a closer-by-committee situation, all of Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton, and Jacob Webb could be in line for ninth-inning work. Thielbar, Maton, and Webb are all currently rostered in under 3% of Yahoo leagues.

4 days ago

Pete Crow-Armstrong • CF • Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong Hits for the Cycle in Walk-Off Win Over Rockies

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong accomplished something special in Monday night's series opener at Wrigley Field in a 5-4 walk-off win over the visiting Colorado Rockies. Crow-Armstrong went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate to hit for the cycle while driving in two runs and scoring once as Chicago's leadoff hitter. It was the first cycle of the 24-year-old's career, and he hit his 13th home run in the process. With the rare performance, PCA is now hitting .277 on the season with an .844 OPS, and he's been incredibly hot offensively of late, hitting .452 with 10 extra-base hits in his last 10 games. Crow-Armstrong was a first-time All-Star in his second full season in the big leagues with the Cubs in 2025, reaching 31 homers, 95 RBI, 35 stolen bases, and 91 runs scored in 157 regular-season games, but he tanked in the second half. His plate discipline is still a work in progress, as he's in just the ninth percentile in chase rate and the 26th percentile in strikeout rate, but he's in the 89th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 77th percentile in xwOBA. Crow-Armstrong can be a streaky hitter, but he's as dynamic as they come when he's on a roll, and it's safe to say he's on a nice little roll right now.

5 days ago

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd Set to Throw a Bullpen on Tuesday

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (shoulder, knee) is scheduled to throw a bullpen on Tuesday before the Cubs "figure out what's next," according to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Boyd has been sidelined since early May. He was initially placed on the injured list due to a torn meniscus in his knee. However, he started experiencing shoulder soreness while rehabbing the knee injury. The shoulder is likely the larger issue for Boyd at this point, but it appears he could be getting close to going back out on a rehab assignment. Across 24 innings (five starts) in 2026, Boyd has recorded a 2-1 record with a 6.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts. While his ERA in a small sample size is unsightly, his 25% K-BB rate and 2.35 FIP suggest he's due for better results. Boyd's profile comes with significant injury risk, but he could be worth stashing off the waiver wire ahead of his potential return.

5 days ago

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Returns to the Lineup Following Knee Injury

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat cleanup for Monday's series opener at Wrigley Field against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander Michael Lorenzen, according to MLB.com. Suzuki banged his knee up in Saturday's win against the San Francisco Giants and was then scratched from the lineup for Sunday's series finale in San Fran as a precaution. After a day of rest, the 31-year-old Japanese native is back in action as the DH for the Cubbies. In his fifth year in the big leagues, Suzuki is batting .255/.339/.433 with a .772 OPS, 10 home runs, 28 RBI, and 31 runs scored in 57 games across 236 plate appearances. Suzuki is hitless in just two career at-bats against Lorenze, but he's gone 11-for-36 (.306) with three home runs, two doubles, nine RBI, and six runs scored in 11 games so far in June. Fantasy managers will want to get Suzuki back in their starting lineups against Colorado in traditional leagues to begin Week 13.

5 days ago

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Dealing With Knee Discomfort

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) left Saturday night's game early against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park with right-knee discomfort, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Suzuki was attempting to catch a fly ball and hit the ground awkwardly in the bottom of the fourth inning. Before leaving, he went 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI, a walk, and a strikeout in the team's eventual 6-1 win. It's unclear how serious the 31-year-old's injury is, but fantasy managers should keep in mind that it's the same knee that caused him to miss the first 12 games of the 2026 season due to a strained PCL that he suffered in the World Baseball Classic. At the very least, Suzuki will most likely sit out of Sunday's series finale in the Bay Area, and he might also be unavailable for the start of a series on Monday back at Wrigley Field versus the Colorado Rockies. Matt Shaw replaced Suzuki in right field on Saturday, and he would likely benefit the most from increased playing time if Suzuki needs a trip to the injured list. Suzuki is currently hitting .255/.339/.433 with a .772 OPS, 10 homers, 28 RBI, and 31 runs scored through his first 208 at-bats of the year.

6 days ago

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd Plays Long Toss on Friday

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) played catch and long toss on Friday with no issues, according to MLB.com. The team will monitor Boyd in the coming days with hopes that he can progress "rapidly," according to manager Craig Counsell. The Cubs were initially hoping the veteran southpaw could come off the 15-day injured list to start against the San Francisco Giants this weekend, but they scrapped those plans earlier in the week. The 35-year-old has been out since May 6 due to a left meniscus injury that required surgery, and then he reported shoulder soreness on Tuesday after his most recent bullpen session. Depending on how Boyd bounces back from his throwing session on Friday, he could be an option to come off the IL to make the start next Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Boyd, a first-time All-Star in 2025, gave up 17 runs (16 earned) on 25 hits while walking six and fanning 31 in 24 innings in his first five starts this year before landing on the shelf. Odds are against Boyd returning to his 2025 form, but he can still be a useful deep-league streamer when he's 100% healthy. He's currently rostered in 55% of Yahoo leagues.

7 days ago

Ben Brown • SP • Cubs

Ben Brown in the Midst of a Breakout Season

Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown opened the 2026 campaign in the bullpen for the Cubbies, but he quickly was transitioned to a starting role given all of the team's injuries to their starters. In his first 12 games out of the bullpen in Chicago, Brown had a 2.10 ERA (2.67 FIP) with 24 strikeouts, eight walks, one save, and two holds. Since joining the starting rotation on May 8, the 26-year-old has a 1.44 ERA (1.89 FIP) with 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 1/3 innings pitched over six starts. Brown has gone 4-2 as a starter and was just two outs shy of his third straight quality start in his last appearance on June 6 against the San Francisco Giants, when he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with just one hit allowed, one walk, and five punchouts. The former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 is now 2-2 on the season with a 1.74 ERA (2.24 FIP) and 0.88 WHIP with 58 strikeouts and 16 walks in 57 innings over 18 outings (six starts). Even as Chicago's starting staff gets healthier, Brown has staked his claim to a rotation spot for the rest of the year. He's rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues and will get a rematch against the offensively challenged Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday.

Jun 12

Matthew Boyd • SP • Cubs

Matthew Boyd Hits Setback in Rehab, Will Not Return to Cubs Rotation This Weekend

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) was experiencing shoulder soreness after his most recent rehab start and will not return to the Cubs rotation over the weekend as originally planned, per Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times. Boyd has been on the 15-day injured list since early May after suffering a torn meniscus in his knee. While it appears that the veteran left-hander is ready to return from the knee ailment, he may now be facing a larger issue with his shoulder. Boyd was arguably Chicago's best starting pitcher in 2025, recording a 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 154 strikeouts across 179 2/3 innings (31 starts). However, the injury bug has come back to bite Boyd, who pitched just 202 2/3 innings across a four-season stretch from 2021 through 2024. Fantasy managers should check back for further updates on Boyd.

Jun 10

Jameson Taillon • SP • Cubs

Jameson Taillon Out Until After the All-Star Break

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that the team will be without right-hander Jameson Taillon (hamstring), whose hamstring strain is being described as "moderate," until after the All-Star break in mid-July, per Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Cubs officially placed the 34-year-old veteran on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a strained left hamstring that he suffered in his start on Sunday night against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. With Taillon facing an extended absence, there's no reason at this point to hang on in most mixed leagues. The soft-tossing right-hander is currently 2-5 on the year with a 5.19 ERA (6.31 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with 59 strikeouts, 23 walks, and a league-leading 20 home runs allowed in 67 2/3 innings across his 13 starts for the Cubbies in his 10th year in the big leagues. Left-hander Javier Assad is expected to replace Taillon in Chicago's injury-plagued starting rotation. The good news is that left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) is expected to come off the IL to rejoin the rotation this weekend.

Jun 9

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