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  • Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Chicago Cubs free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Brian Kelder
    According to this article from The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma, Justin Steele is progressing from his elbow setback. While the veteran lefty is not throwing as of yet, he is progressing to some strengthening exercises. There is no timeline as of yet for his eventual return to throwing and a rehab assignment.
    The updated timeline puts any 2026 return for Steele in jeopardy. In a best-case scenario, he starts throwing again in June, with a lengthy ramp-up. This would potentially allow him to pitch in August, given no setbacks. Another flare-up of the elbow would end his season.
    Basically, the Cubs can't count on Steele to carry them down the stretch, which, given the state of the current rotation, would help the team a lot. Edward Cabrera is currently sidelined with blisters and has a checkered injury history. Matthew Boyd is no spring chicken either and has only pitched over 100 innings once this decade. Arms are always needed in a season, and the Cubs are no exception.
    Despite consternation about the Cubs' hitting, the rotation is the area with the lowest floor on the roster. Justin Steele will continue his own path to health. The Cubs need to hope this path leads to the mound in 2026. 
    Brian Kelder

    Cubs Sign Reliever Aaron Bummer

    By Brian Kelder, in Rumors,

    According to USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale, the Cubs have signed veteran reliever Aaron Bummer to a minor-league contract.
    Bummer was released from the Atlanta Braves in his third season there after struggling to a 7.63 ERA in 19 appearances. In 2025, he was much more successful, striking out almost a batter per inning with a 3.52 ERA. 
    Bummer returns to Chicago, where he debuted back in 2017. For his career, his ERA is 3.44 with a 1.34 WHIP. His velocity has slipped in his age-32 season down to 90 mph from 93 just two seasons ago.
    Fans shouldn’t expect much, but he could play a role in Chicago if he can limit hard contact and walks. He’ll look to recapture his career success in Iowa’s bullpen.
    Brian Kelder
    According to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, Jordan Wicks will get another chance to prove himself this weekend.
    Wicks gave up eight runs in 4 2/3 innings in his first start, but with Matthew Boyd needing a rehab start, Wicks will toe the mound at least one more time. 
    His numbers in Triple A Iowa were stellar in 2026: 12 strikeouts in 15 innings while allowing just seven hits and one earned run. The 26-year-old lefty is running out of time to cement a role in the Cubs staff, both this season and long term. He’ll need a good performance to regain momentum against the Cardinals this weekend.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs have suffered yet another blow to their starting rotation.
    The Cubs on Sunday placed right-handed starter Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his right middle finger. Left-hander Jordan Wicks was called up from Triple-A Iowa.
    The fortunate news is this is just a blister, meaning Cabrera is likely to miss just the minimum 15 days. The move was backdated to Thursday, so Cabrera could return next Sunday. Cabrera was the Cubs' big offseason rotation addition, acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins.
    The Cubs' rotation is already extremely banged up with Cade Horton out for the season, Matthew Boyd recently having minor knee surgery and Justin Steele still not back after having a setback in his return from UCL revision repair surgery.
    Wicks will be making his season debut with the Cubs. He has made seven appearances, all starts, at Triple-A, with a 4.44 ERA in 26⅓ innings, walking 12 and striking out 20. He appeared in eight games with the Cubs last year, all in relief, with a 6.28 ERA in 14⅓ innings, walking one and striking out 13.
    The Cubs will need another starter at some point this week as they have a four-game series vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates, then three against the St. Louis Cardinals, all on the road.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Needing a jolt of energy following a three-game sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers, an injury situation will bring a newcomer to the Chicago Cubs' roster.
    Infielder Pedro Ramirez, North Side Baseball's No. 3 prospect, was called up by the Cubs from Triple-A Iowa to make his MLB debut as right fielder Matt Shaw went on the 10-day injured list with back tightness.
    Shaw has been dealing with the back issue all week and the Cubs decided Friday to put him on the IL. Shaw has a .242/.291/.400 slash line with three homers and 12 RBIs in 42 games.
    Ramirez has made a steady climb up the minor-league ladder, spending each of the last three seasons at Low-A (2023), High-A (2024) and Double-A (2025), then beginning this year at Triple-A. At Iowa, Ramirez has a slash line of .312/.395/.547 with nine homers, 40 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
    Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Ramirez won't be thrown into the starting lineup, instead the Cubs will take this opportunity to expose him to the MLB clubhouse and get his bearings.
    “It’s not going to be a big playing role,” Counsell said. “If it’s not going to be a playing role, it’s probably going to be a shorter stint. But I think it’s also good for him to get exposure to the Major Leagues, get exposure to the group, get exposure to the schedule, so that if we run into a situation where it is a lot of playing time, he doesn’t have to go through it for the first time while playing.”
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs are getting an important piece of their bullpen back.
    Left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar was activated from the 15-day injured list Tuesday by the Cubs. Left-handed reliever Ty Blach was designated for assignment after making his team debut Monday.
    Thielbar has been on the injured list since April 24 with a strained left hamstring. He made one rehab appearance with High-A South Bend over the weekend, pitching one scoreless inning with a hit, a walk and two strikeouts. With the Cubs, Thielbar has made 11 appearances covering 8⅔ innings, walking five and striking out 11.
    Blach pitched three scoreless innings in Monday's 9-3 blowout loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing one hit and no walks with two strikeouts.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The quest for Ty Blach to return to the majors is complete.
    The left-hander was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday. Right-hander Javier Assad was optioned to Triple-A and reliever Hunter Harvey was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL to make room for Blach on the 40-man roster.
    Blach has not pitched in the majors since the 2024 season, the last of his three years with the Colorado Rockies. At Triple-A this year, Blach made five appearances, including three starts. In 20⅔ innings, he walked seven and struck out 14 for a 5.23 ERA. He signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs this offseason.
    In 2025, Blach pitched in the Texas Rangers' organization, making 11 starts at Triple-A and posting a 3.88 ERA, walking 13 and striking out 40 in 51 innings.
    Assad has struggled this season. After making three starts that included giving up nine runs in one game, he was moved to the bullpen. His five relief appearances have mainly been good, although he did give up six runs in 2⅓ innings in one game.
     
    Brian Kelder
    According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, the Chicago Cubs are signing Liam Hendriks to a minor-league deal.
    Hendricks, now 37, has been a free agent since the Minnesota Twins granted his release. The righty pitcher's velocity was down to 93.4 miles per hour; it peaked in 2022 at 97. For Boston last year, he tallied a 6.59 ERA in 13.2 innings.
    It's purely an upside play that Hendricks has one more year to squeeze out of his arm. Since 2022, injuries and health have dominated Hendricks' story. He overcame cancer, only to succumb to Tommy John surgery in his return season.
    With numerous relievers on the shelf, the Cubs will look to catch lightning in a bottle with Liam Hendricks. He was one of the most dominant relievers in the sport from 2018-2022 and the Cubs will look to unlock some more magic for their late innings. 
    Steve Drumwright
    In need of a bit of good news on the pitching front, Ethan Roberts is back in the Chicago Cubs' bullpen.
    The Cubs activated the right-handed reliever off the 15-day injured list Friday. To make room, right-handed reliever Gavin Hollowell was sent back to Triple-A Iowa.
    Roberts has been out since going on the IL April 15 with a laceration on his middle finger on his right hand. The laceration occurred just a few days after his second call-up of the season. Between those two stints, Roberts has appeared in three games covering 2⅔ innings, allowing no runs on one hit and no walks with two strikeouts. He has made a total of eight relief appearances at Triple-A, posting a 1.93 ERA with five walks and nine strikeouts in 9⅓ innings.
    Hollowell was just called up Thursday to patch the bullpen if needed. He did not pitch in Thursday's 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Hollowell did pitch in two games previously this season, allowing two runs in 1⅔ innings.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs could be ready to take advantage of the New York Mets' miserable start to the season.
    According to a report, the Cubs are interested in acquiring ace right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Mets.
    Peralta, a free agent after the season, has already been traded once this year, going from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Mets in a four-player trade in which New York gave up a pair of top-five prospects in infielder-outfielder Jett Williams and right-handed starter Brandon Sproat.
    This time, Peralta's price would be lower as the acquiring team would not be able to get draft-pick compensation through the qualifying offer. A qualifying offer can only be extended to a player who is with a team for the full season.
    The report mentioned that the Mets are holding on to Peralta until at least June 1, at which time the team will reevaluate its position on Peralta and other tradeable assets.
    The Cubs are in the market for at least one starting pitcher as they currently have three of their projected four Opening Day starters on the injured list, including Cade Horton being out for the season.
    Peralta has ties to both teams from his Brewers days. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns led Milwaukee's front office while Peralta was on the roster and Cubs manager Craig Counsell was Peralta's manager in Milwaukee.
    Peralta will be one of the top free agents available this offseason.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs made a minor move involving their bullpen Thursday, calling up right-handed reliever Gavin Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa.
    To make room on the 26-man roster, right-handed reliever Corbin Martin was designated for assignment.

    Hollowell will be making his first appearance with the Cubs after beginning the season at Iowa. He has made 40 MLB appearances with the Cubs and Colorado Rockies over the last four years, including seven with Chicago in 2025. He has a career 5.79 ERA with a 12.3% walk and 21.7% strikeout rate.
    This year at Iowa, Hollowell appeared in six games, allowing two runs on four hits with six walks and 15 strikeouts in eight innings for a 2.25 ERA.
    Martin made seven appearances with the Cubs since coming up April 18. He had a 10.80 over five innings, giving up six runs on five hits (two homers) with five walks and four strikeouts.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Just when you thought things might have been turning around for the Chicago Cubs' injury situation, it took a dramatic turn for the worse.
    Left-hander Matthew Boyd, the Opening Day starter, was placed on the 15-day injured list by the Cubs on Wednesday after injuring his left knee at home. Right-handed reliever Trent Thornton was called up from Triple-A Iowa. Left-handed reliever Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment to make room for Thornton on the 40-man roster.

    Boyd is slated to have surgery to repair his meniscus. There is not a timetable for his return. Boyd had just returned April 22 from left biceps tendinitis. The rotation is also down two other notable starters in right-hander Cade Horton, who is out for the season after having elbow and flexor tendon surgery, and left-hander Justin Steele recently had a setback in his recovery from UCL revision surgery. Boyd makes it 10 Cubs pitchers who are currently on the IL.
    Still, the Cubs entered the day atop the NL Central at 24-12 and a seven-game winning streak.
    Thornton signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs in the offseason and made four appearances at Iowa, including one start. In 5⅔ innings, he had allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs have their closer back.
    Right-hander Daniel Palencia was activated from the 15-day injured list Sunday, with right-handed reliever Yacksel Rios being designated for assignment. Palencia had been out since April 17 with a strained left lat.
    The Cubs' pitching staff has been decimated by injuries, but the team has still put together the best record in the NL Central at this early stage of the season at 21-12 entering Sunday's action. The Cubs still have nine pitchers on the injured list.

    Palencia's return fortifies the bullpen. He had yet to allow a run in five appearances when he went down, walking two and striking out five in five innings.
    Rios was called up a week ago Sunday and made just one appearance, going 1⅔ scoreless innings that day against the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out two.
     
    Brian Kelder
    Craig Counsell had bad news for fans hoping Justin Steele could return soon and bolster the beleaguered pitching staff on 104.3 The Score.
    Brutal news all around. Steele, eligible to come off the 60-day injured list at the end of May, has a flexor strain in his left arm. He will be shut down for at least two weeks while the Cubs and his medical team determine the injury severity and next steps. 
    Realistically, this takes Steele out of the rotation mix for most of this season, and at least the majority of the first half. Even a best-case scenario at this point would mean he starts a lengthy rehab assignment toward the end of June, which could maybe position him for a post-All-Star-Break season debut.
    Steve Drumwright
    After a rough medical start to the season, the Chicago Cubs are starting to get some of their arms back.
    The latest is right-handed reliever Phil Maton, who was activated Monday off the 15-day injured list. Left-handed reliever Charlie Barnes, who was called up Sunday, was sent back to Triple-A Iowa.
    Maton is a welcome veteran addition to the Cubs' bullpen. He has been on the IL since April 10 with tendinitis in his right knee and threw one scoreless inning Friday for Iowa. He was not off to a great start after signing as a free agent in November. In four innings over five appearances before going on the IL, Maton had a 13.50 ERA, allowing six runs on six hits, including a homer, with four walks and five strikeouts and two hit batters.
    Maton made his MLB debut in 2017 and has a 4.06 ERA. He started 2025 with the St. Louis Cardinals, then was dealt to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline. He had a combined 2.79 ERA in 63 games and 61⅓ innings.
    Barnes did not pitch Sunday and has one three-inning appearance in his two call-ups this season.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Vince Velasquez feel-good comeback story lasted one game.
    Velasquez, a right-handed pitcher, on Sunday was designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs. But there was more bad news from the Cubs as left-hander Riley Martin went on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left elbow.
    Left-hander Charlie Barnes and right-hander Yacksel Rios were called up from Triple-A Iowa. Rios was not on the 40-man roster, thus the need to DFA Velasquez. Martin makes it 11 pitchers currently on the IL for the Cubs.
    Velasquez pitched in Saturday's 12-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, going 2⅓ shutout inxnings with one hit and no walks while striking out one. He now hits the waiver wire. If Velasquez goes unclaimed or isn't traded, it is possible he returns to the organization.
    Martin was called up April 5 to make his MLB debut and appeared in eight games, posting a 2.16 ERA, walking two and striking out 10 in 8⅓ innings.
    Barnes is back after a brief call-up in which he appeared in one game, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks with one strikeout in three innings on April 13 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
    Rios is a 32-year-old who made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He has appeared in 92 games, all in relief, and has a 6.32 ERA. He lasted appeared in the majors in 2023 with the Oakland A's, pitching in three games and allowing seven runs in 1⅔ innings.
     
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