Injuries & Moves: Merryweather throws live BP
LATEST NEWS
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
OF Mike Tauchman (left groin strain)
Expected return: Late July/August
As of June 25, Tauchman had resumed agility work and light hitting drills, per Cubs manager Craig Counsell. On June 18, it was announced that Tauchman was diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of his left groin, requiring the outfielder to be placed on the 10-day IL. Counsell said the early feedback was that Tauchman will likely need a month to heal from the setback.
Tauchman, 33, injured his groin while legging out an infield single in the third inning of the Cubs' 7-6 loss to the Giants on June 17. In 66 games this season, Tauchman has hit .259/.359/.382 with 16 extra-base hits and 33 walks, while moving between all three outfield spots. (Last updated: July 2)
This browser does not support the video element.
RHP Javier Assad (right forearm extensor strain)
Expected return: July
Assad was cleared to resume playing catch on June 30 in Milwaukee. The Cubs placed the 26-year-old on the IL on June 27 (retroactive to June 24) after the pitcher experienced discomfort in his throwing arm while throwing on June 26. Manager Craig Counsell noted that Assad had been dealing with the issue “off and on” for a couple weeks, but the latest flare-up led to the decision to give the righty a period of rest and recovery.
In 16 starts this season, Assad (4-3) has fashioned a 3.04 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 33 walks in 83 innings for Chicago. The righty turned in a 2.27 ERA in his first 12 starts (63 1/3) this season, but has since logged a 5.49 ERA in four starts (19 2/3 innings) in June. (Last updated: June 30)
RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (right forearm strain)
Expected return: July
Leiter threw a light “touch and feel” bullpen session on June 30 in Milwaukee, per the Cubs. The righty resumed playing light catch on June 29. Leiter was placed on the 15-day IL with the forearm strain prior to their game against the Mets on June 23. The move to shelve the right-hander comes after he allowed eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in his previous four appearances, seeing his season ERA climb to 5.34 from 3.20 in that span. Leiter has 39 strikeouts and 13 walks in 28 2/3 innings (32 games) this season for Chicago.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that Leiter was not recovering well between outings, so the team opted to give him a period of rest. The manager expressed optimism that Leiter would only miss around the minimum days required. (Last updated: June 30)
RHP Ben Brown (neck strain)
Expected return: July
Brown threw in a bullpen session on June 29 in Milwaukee, following his mound workout on June 26 in San Francisco. The right-hander resumed a throwing program on June 18. Brown began throwing after follow-up testing on his neck revealed a “benign area of concern,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted on June 19.
Brown and the ballclub sought multiple opinions on the pitcher’s neck injury, which was initially believed to be a stress reaction. Counsell said that team doctors were “not concerned” after further examining the images taken of Brown. The rookie righty, who is 1-3 this season with a 3.58 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings, was placed on the IL on June 11. (Last updated: June 29)
RHP Keegan Thompson (right rib fracture)
Expected return: TBD
Thompson was placed on the IL on June 28 (retroactive to June 27) after sustaining a rib fracture in his right side. Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that the injury occurred while Thompson was going through his post-outing shoulder maintenance work on June 26 in San Francisco. Thompson "felt a click" in his ribs and, after he experienced pain while throwing on June 27, the reliever underwent imaging that revealed the fracture.
Thompson, 29, has posted a 3.50 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 10 walks in 18 innings (13 appearances) this season for the Cubs. The timetable for his return is unclear at the moment. (Last updated: June 28)
LHP Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain)
Expected return: Late July
Wicks is currently in Arizona and in the “early stages” of his throwing program, manager Craig Counsell said on June 26. Counsell added that Wicks is unlikely to return to MLB games until after the All-Star break.
The lefty exited his start against the Cardinals on June 14 after 1 2/3 innings due to the oblique issue. The Cubs placed him on the injured list on June 15 after he underwent further testing, which revealed a Grade 2 strain, according to Counsell. Wicks’ start against St. Louis was his first since April 23 and his second appearance after returning from the 15-day IL on June 7 after dealing with a left forearm strain. (Last updated: June 26)
7-DAY MINOR LEAGUE INJURED LIST
RHP Cade Horton (right lat strain)
Expected return: July
After a recent checkup in Chicago, the 22-year-old Horton (MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 Cubs prospect and the No. 17 prospect on the Top 100 list) was diagnosed with a right lat strain, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said on June 4. The current plan calls for Horton to be shut down from throwing for three to four weeks while rehabbing at the Cubs’ complex in Arizona.
Horton, who was Chicago’s first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in the 2022 Draft, exited his May 29 start for Triple-A Iowa after logging 20 pitches in one inning (two runs allowed) against Louisville. The righty has posted a 7.50 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks in 18 innings (five starts) for Iowa, following a four-start stint (1.10 ERA with 18 strikeouts and two walks in 16 1/3 innings) with Double-A Tennessee to begin the season. (Last updated: June 4)
60-DAY IL
RHP Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture)
Expected return: July
Merryweather faced hitters and threw 25 pitches in a live batting practice workout on July 2 at Wrigley Field. Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that Merryweather was slated to throw another live BP on July 6, after which the righty might be cleared to head out on a Minor League rehab assignment.
“The live BP went good,” Merryweather said after the throwing session on July 2. “I've been progressing really well. Getting that first live out of the way was a good first step to kind of keep progressing. We're staying right on schedule.”
Imaging in April revealed that Merryweather was dealing with a rib stress fracture in his back, and the righty was placed on the 15-day IL on April 7 (retroactive to April 6). He was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 17. Merryweather has a 1.93 ERA with six strikeouts and two walks through four outings (4 2/3 innings) this season. (Last updated: July 2)
RHP Caleb Kilian (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: July
Kilian was set to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with High-A South Bend on July 2. That comes after the righty completed a 36-pitch simulated game on June 29 in Arizona. The right-hander resumed throwing bullpen sessions at the team’s complex on June 7 and had built up to facing hitters by June 24.
Kilian left his March 5 start against the Royals in the third inning before an MRI exam revealed a strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder. The 27-year-old pitcher -- acquired from the Giants as part of the Kris Bryant trade in 2021 -- was projected to return to game action around July at the time of the injury. In '23, Kilian made three appearances for the Cubs and went 8-3 with a 4.56 ERA in 120 1/3 innings with Triple-A Iowa. He was placed on the 60-day IL on March 28. (Last updated: June 29)
RHP Adbert Alzolay (right flexor strain)
Expected return: Late July/early August
Alzolay moved his rehab to Arizona on May 26. Around the same time, the right-hander was shut down from throwing after seeking a second opinion on his right flexor strain, which is similar to an issue the reliever dealt with last September. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 2. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on June 24 that “everything is good” with Alzolay’s rehab, but the pitcher remains “quite a ways away” from a return.
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. (Last updated: July 2)
RHP Yency Almonte (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: July
Almonte was cleared to play light catch on June 28 in Milwaukee. The Cubs still plan on seeking another opinion on the righty’s ongoing shoulder issue. Almonte faced hitters in a live batting practice session on June 18 with High-A South Bend and was “not symptom free” during that workout, per Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
On June 27, Chicago transferred Almonte to the 60-day IL. Almonte went on the IL on May 11 (retroactive to May 8) with a right shoulder strain. The injury popped up when he did not recover well from his outing on May 7 against the Padres. Almonte, who has a 3.45 ERA over 17 appearances for Chicago this season, resumed playing catch on May 21. (Last updated: June 28)