Chicago Cubs News

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Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Back in Cubs Lineup on Friday

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (calf) is starting in right field and batting cleanup for Friday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Hunter Greene, per MLB.com. Suzuki is good to go a day after being pulled from Thursday's contest against the Baltimore Orioles due to cramps in his calf. The 31-year-old Japanese native needs to be returned to fantasy lineups in all traditional formats on Friday, even though the matchup isn't an ideal one against a hard-throwing ace. Suzuki has homered in back-to-back games and has seen the ball well in his career against Greene, batting .444 with a 1.500 OPS, two home runs, and six RBI in his 18 at-bats. Since June 16, Suzuki has gone 24-for-78 (.308) with five home runs, six doubles, 19 RBI, 13 runs scored, and a stolen base in 19 games and 88 plate appearances. He also has cleared the fences three times in his first seven games in July.

18 hours ago

Jacob Webb • RP • Cubs

Jacob Webb Trending Up in Chicago's Closer Committee

Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Jacob Webb is attracting interest off the waiver wire after picking up two saves in the last week for the Cubbies with Daniel Palencia (elbow) on the injured list. Since blowing the save on June 20 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Webb has thrown 7 1/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, five walks, three hits allowed, two wins, two saves, and a hold. So far in three appearances out of the bullpen in July, he has two saves and a hold with two strikeouts and a walk in 2 1/3 frames. The 32-year-old veteran is involved in a closer-by-committee situation in Chicago that also includes Trent Thornton and Caleb Thielbar, but Webb has been manager Craig Counsell's most-used closer since Palencia landed on the IL in mid-June. Overall, the former 18th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2014 out of Tabor College has gone 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA (3.85 FIP), 1.31 WHIP, a career-high four saves, 47 strikeouts, and 15 walks in 39 2/3 innings pitched. Webb is definitely a short-term source of saves worth considering off the waiver wire if you're desperate for saves. He's currently rostered in only 6% of Yahoo leagues.

21 hours ago

Jonathon Long • 1B • Cubs

Will Jonathon Long Play a Role for the Cubs in the Second Half?

Chicago Cubs first-base prospect Jonathon Long has shown significant upside at the Triple-A level and could play a role as the team looks to clinch a postseason spot down the stretch. Long is currently ranked MLB.com's No. 7 overall prospect. He spent the entire 2025 season at the Triple-A level, where he posted a solid .305/.404/.479 line with 23 doubles, 20 home runs and a 116:79 K:BB. While he got off to a slower start at the beginning of the 2026 season, he has since rounded into form. Over his last 29 contests with the top club, the first baseman has posted an elite .302/.388/.629 line with a 1.017 OPS, 14 doubles and eight home runs. Even though Michael Busch remains the primary first baseman, Long could find a role as a potential late-season DH or an injury replacement. His upside and recent surge make him a worthy candidate to continue monitoring in deeper leagues.

Yesterday

Shota Imanaga • SP • Cubs

Shota Imanaga is Prime Sell-High Candidate

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga has been putting together quality numbers on the mound over the last month or so. Over the last five outings, Imanaga has allowed two earned runs or less in four of those starts. The southpaw struck out eight batters during his most recent outing against the St. Louis Cardinals. The biggest problem for Imanaga has been keeping the ball in the park. Across 18 starts, Imanaga has allowed 21 long balls this season. The 32-year-old has pitched well against some lackluster lineups, but could see his stats take a dip in the second half. Fantasy managers should take advantage of his recent stretch and trade him during the All-Star break.

Yesterday

Seiya Suzuki • RF • Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Leaves Early on Thursday Due to Calf Cramps

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (calf) left Thursday's game early against the Baltimore Orioles after experiencing cramping in his calf, according to Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times. Neither Suzuki nor the Cubs is worried about it. "I'm going to go eat about 100 bananas," Suzuki said through an interpreter. Before being replaced in right field by Justin Dean in the eighth inning, Suzuki went 3-for-4 at the plate in the eventual 3-2 loss at Camden Yards with his 15th home run of the year and two RBI to raise his season average to .266 and his OPS to .314. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Suzuki's status to see if he's available for Friday's series opener in Cincinnati against the division-rival Reds. The 31-year-old Japanese native came into Thursday's series finale in Baltimore with a .260/.342/.449 slash line, .791 OPS, 14 homers, 45 RBI, and 44 runs across 76 games in his fifth year with the Cubs. Suzuki has two homers in the last two games and three homers in seven games so far in July.

Yesterday

Alex Bregman • 3B • Cubs

Alex Bregman Losing Trade Appeal Before Break?

Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman still has the lineup spot to keep fantasy managers interested, but the bat is not giving much back. The 32-year-old is hitting .240 with seven home runs, 35 RBI, 42 runs, two steals, and a .683 OPS over 354 at-bats. The bigger problem is that the slump has not been brief. Over his last 30 games, Bregman is batting .206 with two homers and a .318 slugging percentage. Batting second for a good Cubs lineup keeps him from being a total drain, especially in OBP formats, but this is a tough profile to buy into right now. His 87.8 mph average exit velocity, 37.5% hard-hit rate, and 4.4% barrel rate do not point to much power coming. With Bregman still rostered in 89% of Yahoo leagues, shopping the name value makes sense if another manager still sees him as a steady corner-infield bat.

Yesterday

Jaxon Wiggins • SP • Cubs

Jaxon Wiggins Could Re-Enter Stash Territory in the Second Half

Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins (elbow) is still on track for a return to the mound at Triple-A Iowa within the next week or so. The Cubs' top-ranked pitching prospect has made four rehab starts, one with the team's Complex League affiliate and three at High-A South Bend, pitching to a 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and recording nine strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings pitched. The right-hander made two starts for Triple-A Iowa to begin the season before hitting the injured list with elbow inflammation. He's coming off a strong 2025 campaign in which the 6-foot-6 hurler posted a 2.19 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 19.5 percent K-BB% across three levels of the minors. Assuming a return in the near-term, the 24-year-old should have a chance to debut in the majors later in the second half, and could provide much-needed reinforcement to a depleted big league rotation. Wiggins could become stash-worthy once his potential timeline clears up.

Yesterday

Pete Crow-Armstrong • CF • Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong Homers Twice to Reach 20-20 Mark

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his strong start to July in the team's 9-7 victory over the hosting Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night at Camden Yards. Crow-Armstrong went 2-for-4 at the plate as the leadoff man with two solo home runs, three runs scored, a walk, and two strikeouts, to become the league's first 20-20 player in 2026. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has an eight-game hitting streak in which he's gone 13-for-28 (.464) with four home runs, a double, seven RBI, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases. His strong run of late offensively has boosted his season line to .296/.386/.542 with a .928 OPS, 21 home runs, 52 RBI, 23 stolen bases, and 60 runs scored in 92 games and 400 plate appearances. Crow-Armstrong is proving he's the real deal after hitting 31 homers, driving in 95 runs, and stealing 35 bases in his second full season in the big leagues in 2025 with the Cubbies. After a brutal second half last year, he has rebounded and displayed better plate discipline.

2 days ago

Jacob Webb • RP • Cubs

Jacob Webb Earns Another Save for Cubs, Entering Short-Term Must-Start Territory?

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jacob Webb closed out his team's 9-7 win in Baltimore with a clean ninth inning, getting three straight groundouts to earn his fourth save of the season. He has not given up a run in seven straight outings, going 2-0 with two saves and a hold, while also recording eight strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. On the season, the 32-year-old righty has a 3.18 ERA and 3.85 FIP, with 47 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. Webb seems to be the preferred option in the closer committee when available, although Trent Thornton earned a save on Tuesday after Webb came in to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. The Cubs' primary closer, Daniel Palencia (elbow), is recovering from a flexor strain and will not return until after the break. He has not started a rehab assignment yet, so Webb could remain in an expanded role for a few more weeks, making him a valuable option in the bullpen for your fantasy team. For as long as he's getting high-leverage work, he's a strong option to grab from waiver wires or to start if you have him on your roster.

2 days ago

Javier Assad • SP • Cubs

Javier Assad Back on the Waiver Radar While Starting?

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Javier Assad is not a strikeout play, but he is at least back in the rotation conversation after Sunday's useful turn against St. Louis. The 28-year-old held the Cardinals to two hits and two walks over 4 2/3 scoreless innings on July 5, though he only struck out two and did not factor into the decision. Assad now owns a 6-1 record, 4.15 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts across 56 1/3 innings, with seven starts and seven relief appearances. That last part matters. Assad has helped the Cubs as a swingman, and his 5.27 K/9 and 5.11 FIP make this more of a matchup/volume play than a breakout arm. Still, ratios and wins can matter in deeper leagues. With RotoBaller's latest waiver rankings listing him at 11% rostered, Assad fits 15-team formats or NL-only leagues for managers who need a back-end starter while the role holds.

2 days ago

Trent Thornton • RP • Cubs

Cubs Turn to Trent Thornton for Tuesday's Save, Can he Claim the Closer Job?

Cubs right-hander Trent Thornton picked up his second save of the season on Tuesday, continuing to build momentum in Chicago's unsettled closer situation. Thornton tossed a scoreless inning and struck out one batter to secure the victory over the Orioles. The 32-year-old has quietly put together an impressive first season with the Cubs, posting a 2.63 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across 22 appearances. No Cubs pitcher has recorded more than three saves this season, leaving the ninth inning very much up for grabs. Thornton's recent performances have made him a strong candidate to claim the role outright. Fantasy managers looking for saves should consider adding Thornton now before he establishes himself as Chicago's primary closer.

3 days ago

Jaxon Wiggins • SP • Cubs

Jaxon Wiggins Climbing Stash Rankings Amid Productive Rehab Assignment

Chicago Cubs top-ranked pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins (elbow) has begun climbing the stash rankings as he begins his rehab assignment. The team's No. 1-ranked pitching prospect has been on the injured list at Triple-A since the start of April due to an elbow injury. However, the right-hander has recently begun a rehab assignment and has since moved it up to High-A. Through his first three outings with High-A, Wiggins has logged 7 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.45 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 7:2 K:BB. While he will likely need to move up to Double-A before returning to Triple-A, he is progressing quite well and could return to Iowa shortly after the All-Star break. Last summer, the 24-year-old turned in a productive season, posting a 2.19 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP over 78 innings split between several levels of the Chicago pipeline. Given Chicago's numerous starting-pitcher injuries, Wiggins has a clear path to make an impact in the majors over the final weeks of the season.

5 days ago

Jacob Webb • RP • Cubs

Jacob Webb Sharp in Two-Out Save, Emerging as Reliable Short-Term Saves Source?

Chicago Cubs reliever Jacob Webb was sharp on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he worked two innings, allowing one hit, zero runs, one walk, and one strikeout. Over his last five appearances, he hasn't allowed a run and has racked up two wins and one save during that stretch. On the season, Webb carries a 3.29 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 46:14 K:BB ratio over 38 appearances. Although those numbers look good on the surface, he has only converted three out of his seven save opportunities. It's likely the Cubs look into relief help at the trade deadline, as they sit at 50-40 and six games back in the NL Central and currently own the top spot in the NL Wild Card standings. Daniel Palencia (elbow) landed on the 15-day Injured List, which is why the Cubs have been relying on Webb and others to close games out. In the short term, Webb has emerged as the likely reliever to close games out, and has value in deeper formats for teams struggling to get saves in the short-term.

5 days ago

Javier Assad • SP • Cubs

Javier Assad to Start on Sunday Against Cardinals

Chicago Cubs right-hander Javier Assad will rejoin the team's starting rotation on Sunday in the series finale against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, according to Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Assad has been a valuable swing man for Chicago's banged-up starting rotation this year, going 6-1 with a 4.53 ERA (5.24 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 31 strikeouts and 13 walks in 51 2/3 innings pitched across 13 appearances (six starts). The 28-year-old Mexican native has been slightly better in a starting role with a 4.18 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 20:7 K:BB in 32 1/3 frames. Assad was hit around a bit in his last outing on June 30 against the San Diego Padres, allowing four earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out just one in 2 2/3 innings out of the 'pen. And in his last three outings, he has given up nine earned runs on 15 hits (six homers) while walking four and fanning seven in 13 1/3 innings. Assad could continue to make starts for the Cubbies going into the second half, but once the rotation gets healthier, he's likely ticketed for more of a long-relief role in Chicago.

Jul 2

Michael Conforto • RF • Cubs

Michael Conforto Goes Deep Twice in Rout of Padres

Chicago Cubs outfielder Michael Conforto joined in on the Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field on Wednesday in the team's 23-3 mauling of the San Diego Padres to complete their three-game sweep. In a game in which the Cubs hitters cleared the fences a franchise-record eight times, Conforto went 3-for-4 at the plate with two homers, four RBI, four runs scored, and a walk to boost his season average to .248 and his OPS to .847. It was the 33-year-old veteran's first multi-homer game of the year. In his first year in Chicago in 2026 after a disastrous one-year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, Conforto has primarily been a left-handed bat off the bench. But with Matt Shaw (hand) currently on the injured list, Conforto's playing time is trending up to close out the first half of the season. In 56 total games across 140 plate appearances, he's slashing .248/.343/.504 with seven home runs, 21 RBI, 19 runs scored, and a stolen base. He's a short-term waiver-wire candidate in deeper leagues for those looking for outfield depth.

Jul 2

Dansby Swanson • SS • Cubs

Dansby Swanson Goes Nuclear on Wednesday as Cubs Sweep Padres

The Chicago Cubs and shortstop Dansby Swanson made a statement at Wrigley Field on Wednesday at Wrigley Field in a 23-3 thrashing of the visiting San Diego Padres to finish off their three-game sweep. Swanson had a pretty rough start through the first couple months of the 2026 season, but he has been heating up lately, and that's an understatement. After clubbing two homers and driving in three in Tuesday night's win over SD, Swanson took it to another level in Wednesday's matinee affair, going 3-for-5 with three more home runs, eight RBI, and four runs scored to boost his season average to .210 and his OPS to .731. The 32-year-old veteran has five home runs in his last two games and a staggering 29 RBI in his last 13 games. Swanson wasn't the only one to get into the act against the Friars on Wednesday, as the Cubs combined for a franchise-tying eight long balls. He's definitely on the uptick offensively as the weather begins to warm, but there are still questions as to whether he can sustain it, as he currently has an xBA of .206, an xSLG of .362, and an xwOBA of .295 (wOBA of .304). After his insane two-game run the last two days against the Padres, this could be the perfect time to sell high on Swanson.

Jul 1

Edward Cabrera • SP • Cubs

Cubs Hope Edward Cabrera Can Throw Bullpens Before All-Star Break

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the goal for injured right-hander Edward Cabrera (hamstring) is for him to throw off a mound in bullpen sessions before the All-Star break in mid-July, according to Casey Drottar of MLB.com. Cabrera was placed on the 15-day injured list with a moderate strained left hamstring last week. If the 28-year-old resumes throwing bullpen sessions in early July, he'll have a pretty good shot to rejoin Chicago's starting rotation following the break. However, it's unclear if the Cubs will want to send him on a minor-league rehab start before he's reinstated. In his first year on the North Side of Chicago, the Dominican hurler has been extremely volatile for fantasy managers, going 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA (5.07 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 29 walks in 72 1/3 innings pitched across his 14 starts. Injuries have also been an issue. In his four starts in June, Cabrera really struggled, posting an 8.35 ERA (6.87 FIP) with six homers allowed, 18 strikeouts, and nine walks in 18 1/3 frames. Fantasy managers won't be in a rush to get him back into their starting lineups in the second half.

Jul 1

Javier Assad • SP • Cubs

Javier Assad Struggles in Relief, Still Worth Adding in Deep Leagues?

Chicago Cubs right-hander Javier Assad came out of the bullpen and took a step backward in Tuesday's 9-7 win over the San Diego Padres, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings. All four runs came on eighth-inning homers by Gavin Sheets and Fernando Tatis Jr. The rough appearance raised Assad's season ERA to 4.53, though he still carries a solid 1.12 WHIP through 51 2/3 innings. One bad night should not completely wipe away his recent work. From June 7 through June 24, Assad posted a 1.96 ERA and 0.78 WHIP across 23 innings while making three starts and one long-relief appearance. His role is now the bigger question after coming out of the bullpen in Tuesday's game. Despite the rough performance, Assad has been solid enough this season to be added in 15-team formats. Managers in standard 12-team leagues can wait until Chicago gives him another start and keeps him in the starting rotation.

Jul 1

Jacob Webb • RP • Cubs

Jacob Webb a Short-Term Source of Saves in Chicago

With Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) on the injured list for the foreseeable future, right-handed reliever Jacob Webb has emerged as a candidate for saves in Chicago's bullpen alongside the likes of Caleb Thielbar, Trent Thornton, Ryan Rolison, and Jordan Wicks. The 32-year-old veteran has blown two of his save chances in June, but since his last blown save on June 20 against the Toronto Blue Jays, he has thrown four scoreless innings with one hit allowed, four walks, six strikeouts, and two wins. Overall, the former 18th-round selection by the Atlanta Braves in the 2014 MLB draft out of Tabor College has gone 3-2 with a 3.47 ERA (3.93 FIP), 1.35 WHIP, two saves, 45 strikeouts, and 14 walks in 36 1/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen in his seventh year in the big leagues. Sporting a career-best 28.5% strikeout rate this year, Webb, along with Thielbar, should be considered a favorite for saves with the Cubs as long as Palencia remains sidelined. Fantasy managers desperate for saves should consider Webb off the waiver wire, and he's rostered in only 3% of Yahoo leagues.

Jul 1

Dansby Swanson • SS • Cubs

Dansby Swanson Stays Hot With Two-Homer Game in Win Over Padres

After a rough start to his 2026 season, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is beginning to heat up with the weather. In the Cubs' 9-7 win over the visiting San Diego Padres on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, Swanson went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI to continue his recent hot stretch offensively. The 32-year-old veteran's big game boosted his season slash line to .203/.296/.395 with a .691 OPS, 13 home runs, 49 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored across his 276 at-bats. In his last 12 games, Swanson has gone 16-for-47 (.340) with six home runs, three doubles, a triple, 21 RBI, 12 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 51 plate appearances. He finished off the month of June with a .247 average (21-for-85) with six long balls, five doubles, a triple, 22 RBI, 17 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 25 games played. Swanson's recent hot stretch has been nice, but his xBA of .206 and xwOBA of .295 say that it won't last. He ranks in the 57th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 46th percentile in barrel rate, and just the 24th percentile in expected slugging.

Jul 1

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