Jun 24, 2026, 12:57 PM ET

In yet another blow to the Chicago Cubs starting rotation, the team placed right-hander Ben Brown (neck) on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with a neck strain, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. The Cubs also placed right-hander Edward Cabrera (hamstring) on the IL on Wednesday with a strained left-hamstring. Chicago's starting rotation has been plagued by injuries all year, but the good news is that they are getting left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) back for the series finale against the New York Mets on Thursday. It's a tough break for the Cubs and for Brown, who has been a popular waiver-wire pickup in 2026 after his successful transition from the bullpen to a starting role for the Cubs. In his 20 appearances (eight starts) through 68 innings, the 26-year-old has gone 4-2 with a stingy 1.85 ERA (2.50 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP with 65 strikeouts, 19 walks, and even one save in his third year in the big leagues. If you have the room in an IL spot, Brown has pitched well enough to stash in fantasy baseball leagues. He's currently rostered in 71% of Yahoo leagues. UPDATE: Per Bruce Levine of the Marquee Sports Network, Brown has returned to Chicago to have his neck examined by specialists.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro

Jun 24, 2026, 12:05 PM ET

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) will be activated from the 15-day injured list and start Thursday's series finale against the hosting New York Mets in Queens, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. It's good timing for the Cubbies' banged-up rotation, as they just sent another starter, right-hander Edward Cabrera (hamstring), to the IL on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Boyd will return to the big-league rotation for the first time since early May. The veteran southpaw underwent surgery on his meniscus before dealing with left-shoulder soreness as he ramped up his throwing program. Now that he's back, he'll provide fantasy managers with a scrappy streaming option with limited upside because of his lack of high-end strikeout potential. Boyd only threw 59 pitches in his final minor-league rehab start, so he will most likely be on a pitch count on Thursday in a great matchup against the last-place Mets. In his first five starts in 2026, Boyd has a 6.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 31 punchouts in 24 innings pitched for Chicago. Boyd is currently rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues as he nears his return.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro

Jun 23, 2026, 11:52 PM ET

Chicago Cubs right-handed starter Edward Cabrera (hamstring) will head back to the 15-day injured list with a strained left hamstring that he suffered in Tuesday's contest against the New York Mets, manager Craig Counsell told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Cabrera will undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday to determine the severity of the hamstring injury. "We're in a rough spot," Counsell said. In the Cubs' 9-6 win on Tuesday, Cabrera allowed two earned runs on three hits while walking four and striking out four in five innings to actually pick up the win despite straining his hamstring in the fifth inning while trying to stretch to make a catch at first base. It's another frustrating injury for the 28-year-old Dominican hurler, who has been extremely volatile for fantasy managers in 2026 in his first year in Chicago. E-Cab entered his start on Tuesday with a 4-4 record, 5.21 ERA, and 1.39 WHIP with 61 K's and 25 walks in 67 1/3 innings in his 13 starts. We'll have a better idea of how long Cabrera will be out after his MRI exam, but either way, he could be looking at missing the rest of the first half of the season. Cabrera is rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: USA Today Sports - Bob Nightengale

Jun 23, 2026, 10:11 PM ET

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (leg/thigh) was carted off the field in the fifth inning of his start against the New York Mets on Tuesday, according to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Per Montemurro, Cabrera "did the splits" to catch a throw while covering first base and immediately grabbed at his left leg/thigh area. Cabrera allowed three hits, two earned runs, and four walks while striking out four across five innings of work before exiting the game. The 28-year-old already missed time earlier this season with a finger injury and may now be headed for a second stint on the injured list. Cabrera's first year with the Cubs has been a struggle even when he's been healthy, as he's pitched to a 5.10 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 65 strikeouts across 72 1/3 innings (14 starts). If he is forced to miss time, Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) would likely take Cabrera's spot in the starting rotation.--Will Brady
Source: Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro

Jun 23, 2026, 1:10 PM ET

Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said that he doesn't expect left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) to start games this season, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Hoyer pointed toward a healthy 2027 season for Steele but didn't rule out Steele helping in a relief role at some point late in the summer. The 30-year-old southpaw had surgery on his UCL last May and suffered a setback in late April when he was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left arm. Steele resumed throwing on Monday, but fantasy managers can't count on him to be an asset as a starter this season, which won't make him stash-worthy in the majority of formats. The former fifth-rounder in 2014 was a first-time All-Star for the Cubs in 2023 in his third year in the big leagues, and he has a 3.30 ERA (3.49 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, 24.4% strikeout rate, and 7.3% walk rate in 506 2/3 innings across 102 big-league appearances (91 starts) in his five seasons with the Cubs. Steele is rostered in only 8% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Bruce Levine

Jun 23, 2026, 12:17 PM ET

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd's (knee, shoulder) next start will be with the Cubs, manager Craig Counsell told Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. It's unclear when Boyd's next start will come, but Thursday at the New York Mets is in play. However, things could change after the team's game against the Mets was postponed on Monday due to inclement weather. If Boyd is pushed back to this weekend, he'll have a much more difficult matchup on the road against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw will be a shaky fantasy play, regardless, in his first game back after being sidelined since early May after having surgery on his meniscus. Boyd then had a setback due to left-shoulder soreness that kept him sidelined even longer. After making the All-Star team for the first time in his career in 2025, Boyd has gone 2-1 for the Cubs this season with a 6.00 ERA (2.35 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, and 31:6 K:BB in 24 innings across five starts. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be as good as he was in 2025, but Boyd still offers plenty of streaming potential as a crafty veteran with excellent command.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro

Jun 22, 2026, 3:11 PM ET

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins is currently on a rehab assignment at High-A South Bend, where he pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run with three strikeouts in a start on Sunday. It's been an injury-plagued year for Wiggins, the second-round pick out of the University of Arkansas, but the promising right-hander was part of the Futures Game last season as a representative of the Chicago Cubs organization. Wiggins pitched to a 2.19 ERA between three levels in 2025, capped off by a finale at Triple-A Iowa. Across 78 innings, he totaled 97 punchouts with a stellar 1.03 WHIP. Recovering from right elbow inflammation, Wiggins is a promising prospect, and savvy fantasy managers should continue to keep an eye on his progress as he rehabs. Given Chicago's lack of starting pitching depth, Wiggins could become a priority pitching prospect to stash in the coming weeks once he returns to Triple-A.--Brian Buckey - RotoBaller
Source: Minor League Baseball

Jun 22, 2026, 12:17 PM ET

Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) looked strong in his minor-league rehab start on Saturday with High-A South Bend, throwing four shutout innings with only two hits allowed, no walks, and seven strikeouts. Boyd threw 40 of his 59 pitches for strikes as he returned to game action following soreness in his left shoulder. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw initially landed on the 15-day injured list on May 6 after having a meniscectomy on his left knee. If Boyd's bullpen session scheduled for Monday goes off without a hitch, he's expected to be reinstated from the IL to make his next start with Chicago, either later this week against the New York Mets or this weekend against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. A matchup against the Mets would be much more enticing for fantasy managers looking for a streamer. Boyd was a first-time All-Star in 2025 with the Cubs, going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 154:42 K:BB in 31 regular-season starts. However, he had a 6.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 31:6 K:BB in five starts this year before injuring his knee. Boyd can be a useful fantasy streamer once he's back, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect a rebound to last year's heights. He's currently rostered in 55% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Milb.com

Jun 22, 2026, 12:10 PM ET

Chicago Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (hand) is listed as the team's starter for Tuesday's game at Citi Field against the New York Mets, according to MLB.com. Cabrera was pulled from his last start early on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field with cramping in his right hand, but he evidently had a successful bullpen session over the weekend and was cleared to make his next start in Queens on Tuesday in Game 2 of the series against the Mets. The 28-year-old Dominican hurler has been hard to trust in fantasy in his first year in Chicago, as he's gone 4-4 with a 5.21 ERA (5.15 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 25 walks in 67 1/3 innings across his 13 starts. In his three starts in June, Cabrera has unraveled, allowing 15 earned runs on 16 hits (six homers) while walking five and striking out 14 in 13 1/3 innings pitched. The good news is that he's facing the Mets, a team that ranks 29th in baseball in OPS (.669). In his first outing against New York in 2026 on April 17 at Wrigley Field, Cabrera picked up his second win of the year by giving up three earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out four in six innings.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Jun 17, 2026, 8:45 PM ET

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.--Keith Hernandez
Source: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys

Jun 17, 2026, 8:35 PM ET

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.--Keith Hernandez
Source: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys

Jun 17, 2026, 12:35 PM ET

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.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

Jun 16, 2026, 11:05 PM ET

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.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers

Jun 15, 2026, 10:36 PM ET

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.--Will Brady
Source: Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro