Injuries & Moves: Palencia optioned to Triple-A Iowa
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July 16: RHP Daniel Palencia optioned to Triple-A Iowa; Minor League RHP Jesus Tinoco acquired from Royals for cash considerations
Palencia, 24, was optioned to Iowa after being recalled on Saturday in St. Louis for a doubleheader against the Cardinals. The right-hander has a 6.55 ERA with 12 strikeouts and eight walks in 11 innings (seven games) for the Cubs this season.
Tinoco joins the Cubs' system after logging a 3.86 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 28 innings (21 games) at the Triple-A level for the Rangers and Royals this year. He has an 8.10 ERA in 10 MLB innings this season with Texas and a 4.58 ERA in 57 career MLB games.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
LHP Luke Little (left shoulder strain)
Expected return: TBD
Little was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left shoulder strain on July 13, after he left the game on July 12 after four pitches.
“We'll learn more over the All-Star break,” manager Craig Counsell said. “But, you know, it's a shoulder injury, likely some kind of shoulder injury, and that's obviously concerning for a pitcher.”
Little is 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 30 appearances this season. (Last updated: July 13)
OF Mike Tauchman (left groin strain)
Expected return: Late July/August
Tauchman continued his rehab process in Arizona after running the bases at Baltimore on July 11, per the Cubs. That came after the sidelined outfielder went through a normal pregame routine (hitting/fielding) on July 10. The next step for Tauchman is to face live pitching ahead of a return to rehab game action.
Tauchman, 33, sustained a Grade 2 strain of his left groin while legging out an infield single in the Cubs' 7-6 loss to the Giants on June 17. It was estimated he would need a month of recovery. In 66 games this season, Tauchman has slashed .259/.359/.382 with 16 extra-base hits and 33 walks, while moving between all three outfield spots. (Last updated: July 12)
OF Cody Bellinger (fractured left middle finger)
Expected return: Late July/August
Bellinger was hit on the left hand by a pitch from Baltimore’s Cionel Pérez in the seventh inning of a 4-0 win on July 10. Imaging revealed a non-displaced fracture of his middle finger, necessitating a move to the 10-day IL on July 11. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Bellinger could be out until at least late July.
“He’s basically going to be shut down through the All-Star break,” Counsell said on July 11. “And then when we come back from the All-Star break, he’ll kind of start the range-of-motion rehab with the finger and we’ll see where that takes us. That’s basically where we’re at. It’s going to be some time after the All-Star break. He’s just going to see how it feels and we’re going to have to see how it’s healing.” (Last updated: July 11)
RHP Ben Brown (neck strain)
Expected return: July
Brown has continued a steady throwing program, but is still dealing with some symptoms, manager Craig Counsell said on July 11. The righty’s most recent bullpen session (per the Cubs) was on June 29. He resumed a throwing program on June 18 after follow-up testing on his neck revealed a “benign area of concern,” 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: July 11)
LHP Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain)
Expected return: August
Wicks is currently in Arizona and his recovery process is “going a little slow,” manager Craig Counsell noted on July 11. The lefty is playing catch, but his comeback could linger beyond late July and into August.
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: July 11)
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)
60-DAY IL
RHP Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture)
Expected return: July
Merryweather allowed one run on three hits in one inning in his second Minor League rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on July 12. He threw 21 pitches, 16 of which were strikes.
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 13)
RHP Caleb Kilian (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: July
Kilian allowed two hits and an unearned run in an inning of relief in a Minor League rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on July 12. He struck out one, walked one and 11 of his 16 pitches were strikes. It marked his fourth rehab appearance, dating back to July 2. The righty resumed throwing bullpen sessions at the team’s Arizona complex on June 7, and was built up to facing hitters by June 24. (Last updated: July 13)
RHP Adbert Alzolay (right flexor strain)
Expected return: Late July/early August
Alzolay threw a live bullpen session on July 12 in Arizona, per the Cubs. The righty threw a 30-pitch bullpen session July 9 in Arizona and also logged 30 pitches in a mound session on July 5. Alzolay has been rehabbing at the team’s Arizona facility since May 26.
Alzolay, whose right flexor strain is similar to an issue the reliever dealt with last September, was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 2. 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 12)
RHP Yency Almonte (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: 2025
Almonte underwent a successful labral repair surgery, per the Cubs.
The righty had been attempting to come back from the injury for two months after landing on the injured list on May 11, retroactive to May 8, before opting for the surgery.
“I got news that I didn't want to get,” said Almonte, who was acquired from the Dodgers in January. “It's upsetting. I came here with a positive mindset from the trade, ready to go dominate. And I feel like I started off pretty well and just was in a good place mentally.”
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, leading to the second opinion. The pitcher said he is dealing with a minor tear of his labrum. Almonte posted a 3.45 ERA over 17 appearances for Chicago. (Last updated: July 12)
RHP Colten Brewer (fractured left hand)
Expected return: TBD
Brewer, 31, punched a wall in the Cubs’ dugout after his outing against the Angels on July 6 and sustained a fractured left hand. He was placed on the 60-day IL as a result on July 7. The righty has logged a 5.66 ERA in 20 2/3 innings this season, striking out 22 and walking nine. He had a 3.45 ERA in his first 11 outings for the Cubs, but has slumped to the tune of a 12.60 ERA in his past five appearances, culminating in the July 6 setback.
“Colten, after he came out of the game, made a mistake, clearly out of frustration,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on July 7. “It’s something that he regrets, clearly. It’s something you don’t want to have happen. It’s unfortunate, and now the consequence is you’re going to find yourself with a broken hand and on the injured list for quite a while.” (Last updated: July 7)
7-DAY MINOR LEAGUE INJURED LIST
RHP Cade Horton (right lat strain)
Expected return: July
Horton is in the early stages of a throwing program in Arizona, Cubs assistant general manager Jared Banner said on July 10. 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 on June 4 and was shut down from throwing for roughly a month.
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: July 10)