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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.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Vinnie Duber
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Vinnie Duber
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.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
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.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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.
Source: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
Source: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
Kevin Alcantara Sent Back to Triple-A
The Chicago Cubs are sending outfielder Kevin Alcantara back to Triple-A Iowa on Monday, according to Tommy Birth of the Des Moines Register. Alcantara, 23, only appeared in 12 games for the Cubs and had just one hit in 10 plate appearances with a run scored, one walk, and four strikeouts. The move to demote the Dominican outfielder comes a day after he made a baserunning mistake in the team's extra-inning win at Wrigley Field over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night. In just 25 games at the big-league level since making his major-league debut in 2024 in Chicago, Alcantara has hit .200/.250/.200 with no homers, an RBI, four runs, one stolen base, two walks, and nine strikeouts. He'll return to Iowa, where he has slashed .242/.339/.567 with a .906 OPS, 15 long balls, 32 RBI, 27 runs scored, and three steals across 41 games and 180 plate appearances. Alcantara could be back up with the Cubbies this year, but probably only as outfield depth.
Source: Des Moines Register - Tommy Birch
Source: Des Moines Register - Tommy Birch
Matt Shaw Expected to Return From Injured List on Tuesday
Chicago Cubs infielder/outfielder Matt Shaw (back) is expected to be activated from the injured list on Tuesday, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Shaw spent a few days on a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A and is now in line to rejoin a Cubs lineup that has struggled offensively and on the bases lately. Shaw has hit .242 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored, three stolen bases, and a .400 slugging percentage across 95 at-bats this season. The overall production has been modest, but the power-speed mix gives him some fantasy appeal if he works back into regular playing time. During his debut season, Shaw hit 13 home runs and swiped 17 bags over a 126-game stint. Fantasy managers should monitor his role once he returns, as he will likely remain a super-utility option, which limits his value in standard leagues.
Source: Jesse Rogers
Source: Jesse Rogers
Pete Crow-Armstrong has Big Day in Win Over Giants on Saturday
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong came up big in the team's 3-2 walk-off win in 10 innings on Saturday at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Francisco Giants, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two solo home runs to raise his season average to .259 and his OPS to .791. Crow-Armstrong hit his first long ball of the day in the sixth inning and tied the game at two apiece in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the contest to extras. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has shown better plate discipline this year after tanking in the second half of his breakout season in 2025, and he's now in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak in which he has delivered five home runs, nine RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base. PCA's recent hot stretch has boosted his season slash line to .259/.343/.448, and he's added 11 home runs, 32 RBI, 37 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases across his 272 plate appearances. Crow-Armstrong can be streaky, but he's still a five-category contributor for fantasy managers who is a must-start right now while he's on fire.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ian Happ Breaks Out of Slump With Five-RBI Performance to Carry Cubs
It's been rough sledding of late for Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, but he was able to turn things around at the plate on Wednesday in the 10-4 win over the hosting Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Happ went 2-for-6 at the plate with a home run and a season-high five RBI to boost his season average to .215 and his OPS to .782. It was the 31-year-old veteran's third career game with at least five RBI, and it also snapped a nine-game homerless drought. Happ came into Wednesday's contest in Pittsburgh hitting .122 (6-for-49) with a homer, two doubles, three RBI, four runs, nine walks, and 26 strikeouts in his last 14 games since May 9, which included just two multi-hit games. Fantasy managers are hoping that Wednesday's turnaround will be the start of more consistent production from Happ and the Cubs, who snapped a 10-game losing streak in the win over the Bucs. Happ now has a .346 on-base percentage, .436 slugging percentage, 11 homers, 26 RBI, 36 runs scored, and two steals across 52 games in his 10th year in the big leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ian Happ Sitting for Second Straight Game, Should Managers be Concerned?
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Houston Astros for a "mental breather." Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, "he told him to take Saturday off completely, and Sunday, he's been hitting and doing other typical pregame work. The 31-year-old has struggled mightily over his last six games, slashing .042/.115/.083 with 14 strikeouts across 26 plate appearances. Overall, Happ had been solid, slashing .214/.350/.429 with 10 home runs, 20 RBI, 35 runs, and two stolen bases through 220 plate appearances. His walk BB% has increased from 13.1% last season to 16.4%, while his K% has ballooned from 22.8% to 33.2%. Although there is cause for some concern, fantasy managers should continue to hold onto Happ as he works his way back through his slump. Happ is expected to return to the Cubs lineup for Monday's contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Source: Jared Wyllys
Source: Jared Wyllys
Kevin Alcantara to Earn Promotion to MLB, Worth Adding for Elite Power Upside?
Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara continues to deliver for Triple-A Iowa. The 23-year-old has homered three times over his last nine games and has up to 15 long balls on the season. Overall, Alcantara is slashing .242/.339/.567 with 15 home runs, 32 RBI, 27 runs, and three stolen bases in 41 games at Triple-A. With Alcantara raking in the minors, he is set to be recalled by the Cubs. According to Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM, Alcantara is "walking into Wrigley." The 6-foot-6 Cubs prospect has plus power and a .906 OPS this season, but has struck out a whopping 33.0% of the time. Fantasy managers searching for power and looking to improve their outfield should take a chance on Alcantara, as he's widely available, rostered in just 1% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues.
Source: Bruce Levine
Source: Bruce Levine
Matt Shaw Placed on Injured List with Back Tightness
Chicago Cubs utility player Matt Shaw (back) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with mid-back tightness, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. Shaw is expected to miss several weeks. In a corresponding move, top infield prospect Pedro Ramirez was promoted to the majors. Shaw owns a modest .242/.291/.400 slash line with three homers this year, but he had been struggling lately with a 0-for-14 skid. The 24-year-old has mostly come off the bench this season, playing a variety of positions. So far this year, he has played all three outfield spots, as well as first, second, and third base. The right-handed hitter was rostered in just 5% of fantasy leagues before his injury, and his roster share could decrease if managers aren't willing to wait for him to return from the IL.
Source: Jesse Rogers
Source: Jesse Rogers
