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Matthew Boyd Plays Long Toss on Friday
Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) played catch and long toss on Friday with no issues, according to MLB.com. The team will monitor Boyd in the coming days with hopes that he can progress "rapidly," according to manager Craig Counsell. The Cubs were initially hoping the veteran southpaw could come off the 15-day injured list to start against the San Francisco Giants this weekend, but they scrapped those plans earlier in the week. The 35-year-old has been out since May 6 due to a left meniscus injury that required surgery, and then he reported shoulder soreness on Tuesday after his most recent bullpen session. Depending on how Boyd bounces back from his throwing session on Friday, he could be an option to come off the IL to make the start next Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Boyd, a first-time All-Star in 2025, gave up 17 runs (16 earned) on 25 hits while walking six and fanning 31 in 24 innings in his first five starts this year before landing on the shelf. Odds are against Boyd returning to his 2025 form, but he can still be a useful deep-league streamer when he's 100% healthy. He's currently rostered in 55% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ben Brown in the Midst of a Breakout Season
Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown opened the 2026 campaign in the bullpen for the Cubbies, but he quickly was transitioned to a starting role given all of the team's injuries to their starters. In his first 12 games out of the bullpen in Chicago, Brown had a 2.10 ERA (2.67 FIP) with 24 strikeouts, eight walks, one save, and two holds. Since joining the starting rotation on May 8, the 26-year-old has a 1.44 ERA (1.89 FIP) with 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 1/3 innings pitched over six starts. Brown has gone 4-2 as a starter and was just two outs shy of his third straight quality start in his last appearance on June 6 against the San Francisco Giants, when he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with just one hit allowed, one walk, and five punchouts. The former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 is now 2-2 on the season with a 1.74 ERA (2.24 FIP) and 0.88 WHIP with 58 strikeouts and 16 walks in 57 innings over 18 outings (six starts). Even as Chicago's starting staff gets healthier, Brown has staked his claim to a rotation spot for the rest of the year. He's rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues and will get a rematch against the offensively challenged Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Matthew Boyd Hits Setback in Rehab, Will Not Return to Cubs Rotation This Weekend
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (knee, shoulder) was experiencing shoulder soreness after his most recent rehab start and will not return to the Cubs rotation over the weekend as originally planned, per Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times. Boyd has been on the 15-day injured list since early May after suffering a torn meniscus in his knee. While it appears that the veteran left-hander is ready to return from the knee ailment, he may now be facing a larger issue with his shoulder. Boyd was arguably Chicago's best starting pitcher in 2025, recording a 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 154 strikeouts across 179 2/3 innings (31 starts). However, the injury bug has come back to bite Boyd, who pitched just 202 2/3 innings across a four-season stretch from 2021 through 2024. Fantasy managers should check back for further updates on Boyd.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Vinnie Duber
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Vinnie Duber
Jameson Taillon Out Until After the All-Star Break
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that the team will be without right-hander Jameson Taillon (hamstring), whose hamstring strain is being described as "moderate," until after the All-Star break in mid-July, per Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Cubs officially placed the 34-year-old veteran on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a strained left hamstring that he suffered in his start on Sunday night against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. With Taillon facing an extended absence, there's no reason at this point to hang on in most mixed leagues. The soft-tossing right-hander is currently 2-5 on the year with a 5.19 ERA (6.31 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with 59 strikeouts, 23 walks, and a league-leading 20 home runs allowed in 67 2/3 innings across his 13 starts for the Cubbies in his 10th year in the big leagues. Left-hander Javier Assad is expected to replace Taillon in Chicago's injury-plagued starting rotation. The good news is that left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) is expected to come off the IL to rejoin the rotation this weekend.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Vinnie Duber
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Vinnie Duber
Matthew Boyd Expected to Rejoin Rotation This Weekend
Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) is expected to come off the 15-day injured list to rejoin the team's starting rotation by this weekend against the San Francisco Giants on the road, according to Matt Carlson of The Associated Press. The Cubs' Opening Day starter and an All-Star last year, Boyd is on the IL for the second time already this season after recovering from surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee, which was suffered in a freak accident while playing with his kids at home on May 4. The 35-year-old southpaw allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out seven in five innings during a minor-league rehab start on Saturday with Triple-A Iowa. He threw 64 of his 83 pitches for strikes and shouldn't be on any sort of a pitch count this weekend when he returns to the Cubbies. "He's healthy. Everything's good," manager Craig Counsell said on Sunday night. Boyd also missed three weeks in April with a biceps strain, and he's gone 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts in 2026. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be as good as he was in 2025 (14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts), but Boyd can be a serviceable matchup-based streamer for fantasy managers when he's healthy.
Source: The Associated Press - Matt Carlson
Source: The Associated Press - Matt Carlson
Jameson Taillon Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Strain
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander Jameson Taillon (hamstring) will go on the 15-day injured list after straining his left hamstring in his outing on Sunday night at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Francisco Giants, according to Marquee Sports Network. Taillon only got through one inning on Sunday before being pulled, allowing an earned run on two hits while walking two and striking out two. It's unclear exactly how long Taillon might be sidelined, but he'll at least miss the next two weeks. The good news for the Cubs' injury-riddled starting rotation is that veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) is expected to return from his IL stint this coming weekend against the Giants. The 34-year-old Taillon isn't a must-hold in mixed fantasy baseball leagues now that he's injured. After his abbreviated start on Sunday, he is 2-5 on the year with a 5.19 ERA (6.31 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with only 59 strikeouts and 23 walks in 67 2/3 innings. He's also allowed a league-high 20 home runs in his 13 starts.
Source: Marquee Sports Network
Source: Marquee Sports Network
Edward Cabrera Officially Activated from Injured List Ahead of Start on Friday
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (finger) has been activated from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start on Friday against the San Francisco Giants. The 28-year-old last pitched on May 20 before being placed on the IL due to a blister issue. Before the injury, Cabrera recorded a 3-2 record with a 4.00 ERA, 1.35 ERA, and 47 strikeouts across 54 innings (10 starts). The right-hander's average fastball velocity had dipped from 97 miles per hour in 2025 to 95.9 mph, and his strikeout rate had fallen from 25.8% to 20.7%. It's possible that blister issues had been plaguing Cabrera before he hit the shelf, which could explain his downturn in production. Now that he's back, fantasy managers should monitor closely for an uptick in his velocity and strikeout rate.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ben Brown Making Seamless Transition to Starting Role
Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown has been excellent as both a reliever and starter so far in 2026 for the Cubbies, but he should be attracting more interest off the waiver wire from fantasy managers now that he's stretched out and pitching well. The 26-year-old is currently 2-2 with a 1.92 ERA (2.23 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with 53 strikeouts and 15 walks in 51 2/3 innings pitched across 17 appearances (five starts). He even has one save for good measure as a reliever. Since moving to a starting role on the North side in Chicago, Brown has become even more attractive in fantasy, allowing only five earned runs on 15 hits while walking seven and fanning 29 over 26 innings of work. Most recently, he went a season-high seven innings and gave up just one earned run with a walk and six K's for his second win of the season against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals on May 30. Brown has had quality starts in each of his last two times out and continues to gain steam in what is shaping up as a breakout campaign. The best part is that he's available in just over 40% of Yahoo leagues, too. Grab him and start him this weekend against the San Francisco Giants.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Edward Cabrera Scheduled to Start on Friday Against Giants
Chicago Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (finger) is now scheduled to come off the 15-day injured list to start in Friday's series opener at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Francisco Giants, according to MLB.com. Cabrera was initially expected to come off the IL to start in Game 2 of the series on Saturday, but they will instead move him up a day and push right-hander Ben Brown back. The 28-year-old Dominican hurler didn't allow more than three runs in a start in his first year in Chicago until May 9, and he'll return from the IL with a 3-2 record, 4.00 ERA (4.45 FIP), and 1.35 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and 20 walks in 54 innings pitched across his first 10 starts in 2026. He wasn't exactly great in May, allowing 15 runs (12 earned) on 23 hits (five homers) while walking eight and striking out 18 in 18 2/3 innings over four starts. Cabrera's velocity is down this year, and he's sporting a career-low 20.7% strikeout rate, making him a shaky fantasy streamer with the Cubbies. He'll face a Giants squad in the middle of the pack in team OPS (.703) this year.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Justin Steele Still a Stash Target?
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) will be sidelined until after the All-Star break in mid-July after suffering a setback during his rehab from UCL surgery in late April. However, the 30-year-old southpaw might still be worth stashing for pitching depth in the second half of the 2026 season in deeper leagues. Steele, a fifth-rounder in 2014 out of a high school in Mississippi, only made four starts for the Cubbies last year before needing surgery on his left elbow. From 2022 to 2024, though, Steele combined for a 25-17 record, 3.10 ERA (3.14 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP, and a 437:123 K:BB in 78 starts across 427 innings pitched. There will surely be limitations on his workload when he returns to Chicago's starting rotation in the second half, but his body of work in recent seasons shows that he can be an asset for fantasy managers when he's healthy. Right now, Steele is rostered in just under 10% of Yahoo leagues, and that number should slowly rise as he nears his 2026 debut this summer.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Is Jaxon Wiggins a Worthy Stash Target While Sidelined?
Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins has been on the 7-day injured list with an elbow injury since the start of April. However, the young right-hander has begun throwing bullpens, and he is slowly approaching a return to action, which has put him back on the stash radar. Prior to the injury, Wiggins was already on a clear path to make his debut, given Chicago's numerous starting pitcher injuries. Currently, the team is without Justin Steele, Cade Horton, and Edward Cabrera, leaving a clear path for the top prospect to contribute at some point this summer. Last season, Wiggins spent most of his time with High-A and Double-A and posted a stellar 1.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, with an 83:30 K:BB over 68 1/3 innings. While he may have to wait until July to be in serious consideration, Wiggins has a path to make an impact for fantasy this season.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Matthew Boyd Slated for Rehab Start on Saturday, Close to Big-League Return
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (knee) is scheduled to make a second rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, per Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network. McGregor reports that "assuming everything goes well," Boyd will return to the Cubs following his Saturday start. The veteran left-hander has been on the injured list since early May due to a left miniscus injury. Boyd got off to a rough start to his 2026 season before hitting the IL, recording a 6.00 ERA across 24 innings (five starts). However, Boyd's 25% K-BB rate and 2.33 FIP suggest that he was pitching better than his top-line numbers would indicate. The 35-year-old was arguably Chicago's best starting pitcher in 2025, recording a 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA and 1.09 ERA across 179 2/3 innings (31 starts). Upon his return, Boyd profiles as a quality innings eater for deeper-league fantasy managers.
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
Edward Cabrera Scheduled to Return to Cubs Rotation on Saturday
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (finger) will return from the 15-day injured list on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants, per Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network. Cabrera was placed on the IL due to a blister on his right middle finger on May 21. Across 54 innings (10 starts) before the injury, Cabrera posted a 3-2 record with a 4.00 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts. The 28-year-old's average fastball velocity was down from 97 miles per hour to 95.9 mph, and his strikeout rate had dipped to a career-worst 20.7%. If Cabrera's blister issue is fully resolved, it could help him rediscover his 2025 form, when he logged a 3.53 ERA and a 25.8% strikeout rate across 26 starts with the Miami Marlins.
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
Ben Brown is Worth Adding During Breakout Campaign
Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown is in the midst of a breakout campaign and is quickly becoming a top waiver wire option. The right-hander is coming off his best start of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. Brown tossed six innings, allowing one earned run while striking out seven batters. Overall, Brown owns a 2.01 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 47:14 K:BB ratio across 16 appearances (four starts) with the Cubs this season. Brown started the season in a multi-inning role in the bullpen, but was moved into the starting rotation due to injuries. The Cubs are currently without a handful of starting pitchers, so they need Brown to stay in the rotation for now. Fantasy managers seeking pitching help should consider adding Brown while he's in this hot stretch. There's a chance he heads back to the bullpen eventually, but he's worth an add right now.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Matthew Boyd a High-Strikeout Starter to Stash?
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (knee) has been on the injured list since early May due to a left meniscus injury, but he is still worth stashing in fantasy baseball. Boyd posted a subpar 6.00 ERA before the injury, but it came over a small sample size, and we know that he wasn't fully healthy. We're far more encouraged by what he did well: striking out batters. The southpaw had 11.63 K/9, 2.25 BB/9, and 0.75 HR/9 through his first five starts this year. He also had a 2.59 xFIP, suggesting that his ERA was skewed by bad luck and he's due for some favorable regression over a larger sample size. Once Boyd gets back from the IL, we'd expect him to lower his ERA while continuing to post an impressive K/BB ratio. The 35-year-old is expected to make two rehab starts soon, so he's likely targeting a mid-June return to the major league rotation. That's not too far away, so managers should consider stashing Boyd in anticipation of his activation. At the moment, he's available in 52% of fantasy baseball leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
