The Chicago Cubs activated outfielder Mike Tauchman (groin) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned outfielder Alexander Canario to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Although Tauchman is now back with the Cubs for the start of the second half of the season, he will start on the bench in Friday's series opener versus the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. The 33-year-old left-handed slugger is now back after missing a month with a left-groin strain. He was playing pretty regularly against right-handed pitching before his injury and should continue to do so, at least while outfielder Cody Bellinger (finger) is on the IL. As long as he remains on the strong side of a platoon for the Cubs, Tauchman is useful for outfield depth in deeper fantasy leagues. He'll return to a .259/.359/.382 slash line with five homers, 19 RBI, five steals and 38 runs scored in 220 at-bats.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman (groin) started his minor-league rehab assignment on Monday in the Arizona Complex League and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout while playing right field. It remains to be seen if Tauchman will be ready to come off the 10-day injured list to rejoin Chicago's big-league roster when the second half of the season starts on Friday, but if he's not, he should return early in the second half, barring a setback. The 33-year-old left-handed slugger has been sidelined nearly a month with a left-groin strain but is getting closer to returning to the big leagues. When healthy, he should play regularly for the Cubbies in the outfield or at designated hitter against right-handed pitching. Before his injury, he was hitting .259 (57-for-220) with five homers, 19 RBI and five stolen bases in 256 plate appearances and 66 games in his second year with the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman capped off the team's comeback win against the crosstown-rival Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, walking it off with his fifth home run of 2024. Tauchman hit the walk-off homer to center field off struggling White Sox closer Michael Kopech on Wednesday, giving the Cubs a 6-5 victory in the ninth inning. The versatile 33-year-old veteran has settled in as Chicago's primary leadoff man against right-handed pitching this year, slashing a respectable .269/.372/.414 with five round-trippers, 18 RBI, 36 runs scored, and four stolen bags over 218 plate appearances. Tauchman is worth considering as an option for fantasy managers in NL-only settings.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Braves. Tauchman's homer set the tone of the game early, as it came on the first pitch of the game off Braves starter Charlie Morton. The 33-year-old had a solid start to the season, hitting .307 in April with three of his four home runs coming during the month, but so far is hitting just .208 in May. He's still making good contact (80.8% Contact%), walking a lot (16.0% BB%), and his 26 runs scored puts him just one behind the likes of Freddie Freeman (27), so hopefully this is just a cold spell for him and Wednesday's homer gets him back on track.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman delivered a clutch hit during Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox. The Cubs trailed 4-1 in the eighth inning, but Tauchman had an answer for that. After two singles, Tauchman came up and blasted a three-run home run to tie up the ballgame. Unfortunately for Cubs fans, the Red Sox would win this game in the bottom of the ninth. Tauchman is slashing .294/.429/.500 with three homers, 10 RBI this season.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman went 2-for-3 with a walk and four RBI in Tuesday's victory against the Houston Astros. Both of the outfielder's hits were home runs, his first and second of the season. Tauchman has been on a heater lately and has nine hits over his last 20 at-bats. For the season, Tauchman is hitting a respectable .283 with two homers and seven RBI to go along with 13 runs scored. With Seiya Suzuki (oblique) sidelined, Tauchman has gotten every day reps and has taken the most of the opportunity. As long as he keeps hitting, he is worth a look in deeper leagues. The outfielder will look to stay hot on Wednesday in a rematch against the Astros and rookie starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman is taking a seat on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Tauchman will be on the bench to start this one after starting the last three contests versus right-handed pitchers. The 33-year-old veteran has started the 2024 season off cold, going 1-for-8 in his first four games, although he's walked five times and scored five runs in 13 plate appearances. With Tauchman on the bench in this one, Christopher Morel is serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup, while Nick Madrigal draws in at third base and is hitting eighth against Dodgers impressive young right-hander Bobby Miller. Neither Morel nor Madrigal have faced Miller yet in their careers.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman is starting in right field and is batting eighth for the Cubbies on Monday for the start of a series against the Colorado Rockies and right-hander Dakota Hudson. Tauchman didn't start in the first two games of the season, but he's in there for a second straight game against a right-handed starter. The 33-year-old left-handed hitter is taking at-bats away from infielder Nick Madrigal against righties, at least to open the 2024 season. Tauchman will be looking for his first knock of the year after going 0-for-2 with three walks, a strikeout and two runs scored in his first five plate appearances in 2024. In a platoon role with Chicago, Tauchman has limited fantasy appeal, mostly in NL-only setups. He should be considered a low-upside sleeper option in DFS contests on Monday.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman will take a seat on Friday with the team facing left-hander Cole Ragans and the visiting Kansas City Royals. Tauchman continues to sit against most left-handed pitchers this year and is hitting .263 (10-for-38) with only one of his seven home runs against them in 2023. Overall, though, the 32-year-old veteran has been a very valuable part-time outfield bat for the Cubbies, slashing .272/.372/.421 with seven home runs, 42 RBI, five stolen bases and 45 runs scored in 70 games in his first year in Chicago. Tauchman has been even better since the All-Star break, going 29-for-90 (.322) with four home runs, eight doubles, 21 RBI, two stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 28 games (19 starts).
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman will get a day of rest on Wednesday with the team facing left-hander David Peterson and the New York Mets. Christopher Morel will serve as the designated hitter and will bat leadoff for the Cubbies. The 32-year-old Tauchman has been a key contributor for Chicago this year, but he's usually on the bench against left-handed pitchers, limiting his overall ceiling in fantasy. In 65 games and 252 trips to the plate in 2023, he is slashing .284/.375/.442 with an .816 OPS, seven home runs, 13 doubles, 41 RBI, five stolen bases and 44 runs scored. Morel will have more DFS upside in the leadoff spot, but he's hit just .197 (12-for-61) with four of his 17 home runs on the year against left-handers.
