Injuries & Moves: Thompson (illness) added to 15-day IL
LATEST NEWS
May 15: RHP Keegan Thompson (illness) placed on 15-day injured list; LHP Luke Little recalled from Triple-A Iowa
The Cubs noted that Thompson is dealing with a viral illness, leading to the decision to place him on the IL (retroactive to Sunday). Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Thompson was not with the team at Truist Park on Tuesday or Wednesday.
"Keegan's been sick for a number of days here, really," Counsell said. "Sunday in Pittsburgh it started, and he just hasn't gotten any better. And he's been in rough shape, just rough shape. He didn't come to the park yesterday. We sent him home. He's unfortunately not improved today. He's lost a lot of strength during this."
The setback with Thompson gives the Cubs six relievers who are currently on the IL and 15 players overall who have spent time on the IL this season. The righty last pitched on Saturday in Pittsburgh and has a 4.97 ERA in nine appearances (12 2/3 innings) this year for Chicago.
Little returns for his fourth stint with the Cubs this season. The lefty has a 7.00 ERA through 10 outings with the Cubs and a 4.05 ERA in four games with Triple-A Iowa this season.
May 15: INF Nico Hoerner, OF Ian Happ remain out of starting lineup
Hoerner was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday due to left hamstring tightness and was held out of the starting nine for a second day in a row for Wednesday's finale in Atlanta. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the team wanted to take a cautious approach and would reassess Hoerner's status on Thursday back home in Chicago.
"We're always dealing with little things here and there," Hoerner said after Tuesday's game. "But I've felt like I've been in a good spot to where I can still be a good version of myself on the field. And today I wasn't quite at that level where I felt like that. I definitely feel I'm in the day to day category."
Hoerner spent the previous five games filling in as the Cubs’ shortstop in place of two-time Gold Glove winner Dansby Swanson, who is on the injured list with a right knee injury. Hoerner is batting .269 with two homers, 11 doubles, 12 RBIs and 25 runs scored through 41 games this season. The 27-year-old has hit .289 with a .929 OPS in 12 games in May.
Counsell reiterated on Wednesday that Happ's absence from the lineup (for the second game in a row) is not health related, but rather a way to give the outfielder a mental break. Happ served as the designated hitter on Monday against the Braves, but his 0-for-4 showing gave him a .173 average and .525 OPS in his past 30 games.
May 14: RHP Adbert Alzolay diagnosed with right flexor strain
While the Cubs will be without Alzolay for at least the next couple of weeks, the news on Tuesday was positive, under the circumstances. Imaging on the reliever's arm confirmed a right flexor strain, but Alzolay is not dealing with any structural damage.
"Better than yesterday, for sure," said Alzolay, when asked how he was feeling about the test results. "We were pretty concerned, but I think it's not going to be that bad. The ligament is totally fine."
Alzolay said he plans on taking the next five days off, while receiving treatment, before being reassessed.
"It was good news," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "Obviously, [Alzolay is still] on the injured list with an elbow issue, but I think overall it was good news. Good enough that we're going to treat it for a little while here, but we're not a long way off from possibly picking up a ball again."
May 14: RHP Tyson Miller acquired from Mariners for Minor League INF Jake Slaughter
In need of bullpen reinforcements, the Cubs reached a deal with the Mariners on Tuesday to acquire Miller. Chicago sent Slaughter to Seattle to complete the deal.
Miller, 28, was designated for assignment by the Mariners on May 10 after posting a 3.09 ERA with 12 strikeouts and one walk in 11 2/3 innings this season. The righty -- originally a fourth-round pick by the Cubs in the 2016 Draft -- has a 5.91 ERA in 25 MLB games in parts of four seasons.
"He was performing relatively well for Seattle," Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins said on Tuesday. "He's consolidated his pitch mix [fastball-slider] a little bit. He's a guy that we feel like can get right-handed hitters out, and certainly the depth in the bullpen and getting somebody that we can trust to help finish out some of these games is certainly something we're always looking for."
The Cubs currently have five relievers (Yency Almonte, Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather, Daniel Palencia and Drew Smyly) on the injured list.
The 27-year-old Slaughter (an 18th-round pick by the Cubs in the 2018 Draft) was batting .297 with five homers, 17 RBIs and an .878 OPS in 32 games with Triple-A Iowa this season.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Keegan Thompson (viral illness)
Expected return: May/June
Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted on May 15 that Thompson initially became ill on May 12 while the team was in Pittsburgh. Thompson was placed on the IL on May 15 (retroactive to May 12) after it was clear he would need multiple days of recovery after losing strength due to the illness. In nine games this season, the righty has a 4.97 ERA with 19 strikeouts and six walks in 12 2/3 innings. (Last updated: May 15)
RHP Daniel Palencia (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: May
Palencia completed a 25-pitch bullpen session on May 15 in Atlanta and reported feeling good after the workout. The hard-throwing righty was placed on the IL on May 7 due to a right shoulder strain -- an injury that flared on his final pitch in the Cubs' 6-3 loss to the Padres on May 6. Palencia has a 6.55 ERA with 12 strikeouts and eight walks in seven games for the Cubs. (Last updated: May 15)
SS Dansby Swanson (right knee sprain)
Expected return: May
Swanson was placed on the injured list on May 10 (retroactive to May 8) after he was unable to play through discomfort in his right knee, stemming from pain he felt after a slide on April 25. Following a period of rest, recovery and treatment, Swanson did some light running and agility work and played catch on May 15 in Atlanta. (Last updated: May 15)
RHP Adbert Alzolay (right forearm strain)
Expected return: June
Imaging on Alzolay's arm showed a right flexor strain. The pitcher said on May 14 that he will rest and receive treatment for five days before being reassessed. Alzolay was placed on the 15-day IL on May 13 with the injury, which flared during his outing on May 12. In 18 games this season, Alzolay has a 4.67 ERA with 13 strikeouts, six walks and six homers allowed in 17 1/3 innings.
"It was good news," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of the test results on May 14. "Obviously, [Alzolay is still] on the injured list with an elbow issue, but I think overall it was good news. Good enough that we're going to treat it for a little while here, but we're not a long ways off from possibly picking up a ball again." (Last updated: May 14)
RHP Yency Almonte (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: May/June
Almonte was placed on the IL on May 11 (retroactive to May 8) after he did not recover well from his most recent outing on May 7 against the Padres. Manager Craig Counsell said on May 14 that the Cubs would have a better idea of Almonte's comeback schedule after the current road trip. Almonte had a 3.45 ERA over 17 appearances for Chicago to begin the season. (Last updated: May 14)
LHP Jordan Wicks (left forearm strain)
Expected return: May
Wicks threw a bullpen session at Truist Park on May 13. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the next step would be two innings of live BP on May 17, when the team is back in Chicago.
Wicks had been slated to start on April 28 in Boston, but he was scratched the night before due to the left forearm issue. Imaging showed there was no structural damage. Wicks said he first felt the issue while warming up for his start against the Astros on April 23, but it calmed down and he did not think it was anything serious. When the discomfort persisted over the next few days, he opted to be cautious. (Last updated: May 13)
LHP Drew Smyly (right hip impingement)
Expected return: May
Smyly threw a bullpen session at Truist Park on May 13. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the next step would be live BP on May 17, when the team is back in Chicago. Smyly first felt the hip issue during the team's April 15-17 series in Arizona. After the issue persisted against Miami on April 21, the Cubs opted for an IL stint on April 23 (retroactive to April 22). Through nine appearances this season, Smyly has a 4.97 ERA with 11 strikeouts and five walks in 12 2/3 innings. (Last updated: May 13)
60-DAY IL
RHP Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture)
Expected return: TBD
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on April 8 that imaging revealed that the 32-year-old Merryweather was dealing with a rib stress fracture in his back. The pitcher will be shut down for four weeks before being re-evaluated, making the timetable for return unclear. Merryweather was placed on the 15-day IL (retroactive to April 6) on April 7 and transferred to the 60-day IL on April 17, meaning he’ll be out until at least early June.
Merryweather had a 1.93 ERA with six strikeouts and two walks through four outings (4 2/3 innings) this season. (Last updated: April 17)
RHP Caleb Kilian (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: July
Kilian left his March 5 start against the Royals in the third inning, and an MRI exam revealed a strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder. The 26-year-old prospect -- acquired from the Giants as part of the Kris Bryant trade in 2021 -- is unlikely to return to game action until July, per manager Craig Counsell. In '23, Kilian made three appearances for the Cubs and went 8-3 in Triple-A with a 4.56 ERA in 120 1/3 innings. The Cubs placed him on the 60-day IL on March 28. (Last updated: March 28)