Chicago Cubs News

Cade Horton • SP • Cubs

Cade Horton Continues Strong Start To Triple-A Season

Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Cade Horton continued his strong start to the Triple-A regular season on Wednesday during their match against St. Paul. In this start, Horton tossed five innings of one-run ball and allowed just one hit. He served up three free passes and struck out six. Over his first 12 1/3 innings of work (three starts), the former seventh overall pick has held a strong 1.46 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP. He has allowed just five hits but has struggled with his command as he has held a 10:18 BB:K. Last summer, the Oklahoma product flashed elite upside at Double-A but could never find his footing during his brief taste of Triple-A as he battled numerous injuries. However, the right-hander is fully healthy and is settling in quite well with the Iowa Cubs. With Justin Steele (elbow) out for the season, Horton should play a role in the rotation in the second half.

5 hours ago

Owen Caissie • RF • Cubs

Owen Caissie Snaps Power Skid

Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie went 2-for-6 with a home run during their contest against Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday. This was Caissie's first round-tripper since the Triple-A season-opener on March 28. This was also his first multi-hit contest since April 3. Through the first nine games of the Iowa Cubs' regular season, the No. 3-ranked prospect in the system held a solid .243/.333/.486 slash line with a 4:15 BB:K. Last summer, the former second-round selection spent his entire season with Triple-A Iowa and held a solid .278/.375/.472 slash line. Given his strong play last season at Triple-A and hot start to this campaign, he should be in the mix for an early-2025 MLB debut. However, he may need to wait for an injury as the Cubs' outfield is currently quite deep and does not have an open spot for Caissie.

5 hours ago

Kevin Alcántara • RF • Cubs

Kevin Alcantara Tallies Four Hits On Wednesday

Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara went 4-for-6 with two doubles, a home run, and five RBI during their contest against Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday. This was Alcantara's first round-tripper of the young campaign. Through the first 13 games of the regular season, Alcantara has posted a strong .271/.368/.417 slash line with four doubles. He has swiped two bags and held an 8:20 BB:K. Alcantara enjoyed similar success during his first taste of Triple-A last summer when he posted a .292/.378/.469 slash line with eight doubles and five home runs. Across this 35-game stint, Alcantara swiped seven bags and held a 17:43 BB:K. Even though the Chicago outfield is quite crowded, fantasy managers should expect Alcantara to be in the mix to return to the majors later this summer.

8 hours ago

Moises Ballesteros • C • Cubs

Moises Ballesteros Hits Two Home Runs, Extends Hitting Streak To Six Games

Chicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros went 4-for-5 with a double and two home runs during their contest against Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday. These were Ballesteros' first two long balls of the Triple-A regular season. During this impressive six-game hitting streak, the young backstop has posted a stellar .522/.577/.870 slash line. Through the first 14 games of the Iowa Cubs' regular season, the 21-year-old has swung a hot bat, holding a .379/.419/.586 slash line. Last summer, Ballesteros received his first taste of Triple-A and enjoyed similar production as he posted a .281/.340/.454 line with 15 doubles and 10 home runs across 68 games. Fantasy managers should expect the No. 66-ranked prospect in baseball to debut later this summer.

9 hours ago

Javier Assad • SP • Cubs

Javier Assad Goes 3 1/3 Innings In First Rehab Start

Chicago Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (oblique) made his first minor-league start for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and had a decent performance, allowing an earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out four in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Assad has yet to make his 2025 debut due to an oblique strain that he suffered in spring training, but he's getting closer to being able to rejoin Chicago's starting rotation. The Cubs could certainly use the help after losing left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) for the entire season. In his transition from reliever to full-time starter in 2024, Assad held his own and went 7-6 with a 3.73 ERA (4.64 FIP) and 1.40 WHIP with 124 strikeouts and 63 walks in 147 innings over 29 starts. He's off to a bad start in 2025 due to his injury and he also doesn't have much strikeout upside, but he can serve as a valuable innings eater in NL-only formats.

18 hours ago

Carson Kelly • C • Cubs

Carson Kelly Returns In Series Finale Against Padres

Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly (hand) is back behind the dish to catch left-hander Matthew Boyd in Wednesday's series finale against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Kelly will hit eighth in the batting order against Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta after missing the first two games of the series in SD due to a left-hander injury that he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With Kelly returning, Miguel Amaya will head to the bench. The 30-year-old veteran has had a phenomenal start to his first season with the Cubbies, going 10-for-24 (.417) with four home runs and 13 RBI in nine games played. Kelly isn't going to be this good all year long as he shares playing time with Amaya, but fantasy managers are riding his hot streak early on. He has two hits and an RBI in just four career at-bats against Pivetta.

Yesterday

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Returns To Starting Nine On Wednesday

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (wrist) is returning to the starting lineup on Wednesday afternoon when they play the final game of a three-game set against the San Diego Padres. Suzuki has been kept out of the lineup over the past three days due to a wrist injury. However, the 30-year-old was able to avoid a lengthy absence. On Wednesday, he will serve as the designated hitter and bat in the three-hole. He has enjoyed a productive start to the campaign, holding a strong .292/.390/.538 slash line with two doubles and four home runs across 17 contests. He has tallied 11 runs, 15 RBI, and held an 11:23 BB:K. Under the hood, he has generated an impressive 14.0 percent barrel rate and a 48.8 percent hard-hit rate, which are both well above the average marks. He should be started in all formats, but it is best to fade in DFS facing San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta, who enters Wednesday boasting a 1.59 ERA.

Yesterday

Shota Imanaga • SP • Cubs

Shota Imanaga Strikes Out Seven On Tuesday

Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitched well in a 2-1 extra-innings win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Imanaga allowed just one unearned run over five innings while scattering four hits, walking three, and striking out seven but had to settle for a no-decision in the contest. The veteran right-hander was a bit wild in the start but also managed to notch 12 swinging strikes against a dangerous Padres lineup. Imanaga has now made five starts for the Cubs, posting a 2-1 record, 2.22 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings of work. Imanaga will look to keep it going in his next start, which is set for Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yesterday

Carson Kelly • C • Cubs

Carson Kelly Sitting Again On Tuesday

Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly (hand) is out of the lineup for the second straight day on Tuesday against the Padres. He was hit in the hand by a pitch on Sunday, and while the x-rays came back negative, he's yet to see the field since. Miguel Amaya will get the start instead, who has handled the majority of the catching duties this year for Chicago. Kelly remains day-to-day, with manager Craig Counsell hoping he will be available again sometime this week. Despite the limited plate appearances, he's launched four homers with a .417 batting average in the nine games he has played.

Yesterday

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Out Again On Tuesday

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (wrist) is out for his third straight game on Tuesday. He suffered the injury after being hit in the wrist by a pitch on Saturday and was deemed as day-to-day by manager Craig Counsell. There have been no updates on his timetable since so it will be something to continue to monitor over the next few days. Suzuki will hope to avoid a trip to the injured list after getting off to a hot start at the dish, slashing .292/.390/.538 with four home runs through 17 games.

Yesterday

Matt Shaw • 2B • Cubs

Cubs Option Matt Shaw To Triple-A

The Chicago Cubs have optioned third baseman Matt Shaw to Triple-A Iowa. Shaw was able to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster out of spring training but will be sent back to the minor leagues to continue his development. Through his first 18 games in the majors, the Maryland product posted a modest .172/.294/.241 slash line with two doubles and one home run. Shaw drew walks at a strong 14.7 percent rate but generated a weak .272 xwOBA. In addition, Shaw posted a hefty 26.5 percent strikeout rate with a 30.8 percent whiff rate. Last summer, the former 13th overall from the 2023 MLB Draft performed very well in Double-A and Triple-A. Across 121 games split between the upper levels, Shaw posted a stellar .284/.379/.488 slash line with 21 long balls. Fantasy managers should expect Justin Turner and Jon Berti to split time at the hot corner going forward.

Yesterday

Michael Busch • 1B • Cubs

Michael Busch Blasts Home Run No. 4 On Monday Night

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run off Dylan Cease on Monday night, but his Cubs lost 10-4 to the Padres. Busch's home run continues a strong start to the season for the 27-year-old lefty, who is now up to a .310 batting average and .436 wOBA through his first 18 games with four homers, 12 runs scored, and 12 RBI. Busch's strong start and spot in the heart of the Cubs' productive batting order make him a solid option from the waiver wire in mixed leagues if available. He is still platooning a little bit and sitting against lefties, but when he is in the lineup, he has proven he can produce good run production numbers

2 days ago

Carson Kelly • C • Cubs

Carson Kelly Sitting Out On Monday

Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly (wrist) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the San Diego Padres. Kelly was hit on the wrist by a pitch during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was forced to exit the contest and undergo X-rays to determine the severity of the injury. It appears Kelly has avoided any major injuries to his wrist. For now, Wrist should be considered as day-to-day, but he could land on the injured list if he doesn't get better in a few days. Miguel Amaya will do the catching and bat eighth versus right-hander Dylan Cease on Monday.

2 days ago

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Remains Out On Monday

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (wrist) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the San Diego Padres. Suzuki is set to miss his second game in a row due to a right wrist issue that he suffered during Saturday's contest. For now, Suzuki should be considered as day-to-day, but it wouldn't be shocking if he ends up on the injured list. Justin Turner will serve as the designated hitter and bat third against right-hander Dylan Cease on Monday. Turner hasn't done enough with the bat this season to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.

2 days ago

Carson Kelly • C • Cubs

X-Rays Come Back Negative For Carson Kelly

MLB.com's Taylor McGregor reports that X-rays on Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly's hand came back negative. The 30-year-old took a 93 mph Tyler Glasnow sinker to his left hand in the bottom of the fifth inning on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, forcing him from the contest. Fortunately, he was able to stay in the game another inning before teammate Miguel Amaya replaced him, and his imaging was without concern. Kelly has been fantastic to start the season, batting a blistering .416 with an absurd 1.637 OPS over 24-at-bats. Six of his 10 hits have gone for extra bases, and he's walking a ludicrous 29.1% of the time while holding a stellar 8.1% strikeout rate. There doesn't appear to be too much concern over his hand, so consider him day-to-day for now. Still, fantasy managers will want to monitor his status.

3 days ago

Porter Hodge • RP • Cubs

Porter Hodge Fires Clean Inning To Snag Fifth Hold

Chicago Cubs reliever Porter Hodge punched out two batters during his one inning of work in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hodge hadn't been summoned to pitch since last Tuesday, but he was excellent -- firing 11-of-14 pitches for strikes and snagging his fifth hold of 2025. The 24-year-old holds a strong 2.25 ERA with 11 strikeouts and three walks over his first eight innings of work. He was superb for the Cubs in his first big-league action last year and has improved overall in the early going of this season. The righty is fanning 33.3% of the batters he's faced, and his fastball is garnering a whiff 35.5% of the time. He should be a strong source of ERA and WHIP and would project to step into the closer role if teammate Ryan Pressly ever missed time.

3 days ago

Pete Crow-Armstrong • CF • Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong's Two-Homer Day Fuels Cubs Win

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went off on Sunday night in the Cubs' game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 23-year-old hit two home runs in the game and a triple, tallying 11 total bases in Chicago's 4-2 win. PCA's first dinger came on the second pitch he saw from Tyler Glasnow when he led off the third inning. The second was served up by reliever Blake Treinen in the seventh inning and gave the Cubs the lead. PCA is hitting just .229 so far, but he is an everyday fixture in the Cubs' lineup thanks to his elite defensive skills in center field. On the season, he has 13 runs scored and is near the top of the leaderboard in stolen bases with six. The Cubs next face the Padres in San Diego, followed by a home set against the Diamondbacks.

3 days ago

Ryan Pressly • RP • Cubs

Ryan Pressly Records Fourth Save

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Ryan Pressly picked up his fourth save of the season on Sunday, slamming the door on the Dodgers in a 4-2 win. He pitched a scoreless ninth with one strikeout and no hits or walks. It was his first save since April 4th, which was the last time the Cubs found themselves in a save situation. After giving up runs in each of his first two appearances of the year, Pressly has managed to avoid any earned runs in his five games since. He holds a 3.38 ERA on the season and looks locked in as the Cubs full-time closer.

3 days ago

Justin Steele • SP • Cubs

Justin Steele To Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) will undergo season-ending surgery, according to manager Craig Counsell. Steele was recently placed on the injured list due to elbow tendinitis. On Friday, Steele got a second opinion on his elbow injury, which is never a good sign. Now, Steele is done for the year, but it's unclear if he'll undergo Tommy John surgery. Fantasy managers in redraft formats can feel free to go ahead and look elsewhere for help. The assumption is that Colin Rea will remain in the starting rotation. Also, right-hander Javier Assad (forearm) figures to get a look in the rotation as well once he returns to the roster. This is a tough blow as Steele was coming off his best performance of the season with seven shutout innings before landing on the injured list. The Cubs might look to make a trade for a frontline starter if they remain in contention around the trade deadline.

4 days ago

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Held Out Of Sunday's Lineup

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (wrist) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This doesn't come as a surprise after Suzuki was forced to exit early on Saturday due to right wrist discomfort. For now, fantasy managers should consider Suzuki as day-to-day. However, it wouldn't be shocking to see him land on the injured list if he doesn't get better in a few days. In the meantime, Justin Turner will take over at the designated hitter spot and bat third versus right-hander Tyler Glasnow on Sunday. Turner isn't bringing enough upside with the bat right now to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.

4 days ago

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