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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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    Steve Drumwright
    On a team desperate for starting pitching to remain in the postseason hunt, the Chicago Cubs have decided to cut one of their starters.
    Right-hander Jameson Taillon was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday. Left-hander Andrew Wantz had his contract selected from Triple-A Iowa. Taillon is making $18 million in 2026, the final season of a four-year, $68 million deal. Unless another team claims him off waivers or he is traded, the Cubs will be on the hook for the prorated portion of that $18 million.
    Taillon has a 6.74 FIP (5.92 ERA) in 15 starts this season, with an 8.3% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate. The final straw came in Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in which Taillon was tagged for seven runs in four innings on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He allowed 11 runs over 8⅓ innings in his last two starts.
    The Cubs currently have 12 pitchers on either the 15- or 60-day injured list, including starters Justin Steele, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown.
    Wantz was signed to a minor-league deal June 6 after being designated for assignment and choosing to become a free agent instead of being outrighted to Triple-A. He appeared in one game for the Rays, giving up five runs in 1⅔ innings. After signing with the Cubs and reporting to Iowa, Wantz has appeared in seven games, three starts, with a 4.32 ERA over 25 innings, walking 15 and striking out 26.
    Wantz was originally a seventh-round draft choice by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 out of North Carolina-Greensboro.
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    There are grandiose and subtle ways to upgrade positions for a contending team.
    For the Chicago Cubs, who get solid production from their catching tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, there could be a player who could increase that output that would be beneficial for a team already in postseason position.
    One catcher out on the market, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, is Baltimore Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman. Once the darling of the Orioles' rebuild, Rutschman hasn't been the superstar they envisioned.
    A switch-hitter, Rutschman has a career slash line of .254/.342/.414. He hit 20 and 19 homers in his second and third seasons in the majors, while drawing AL MVP votes in 2022, when he finished second in AL Rookie of the Year balloting, and 2023.
    But injuries in each of the last two seasons have slowed his production. In 90 games last year, Rutschman slashed .220/.307/.366 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. He has followed that up with a .251/.331/.433 with eight homers and 47 RBIs in 67 games this year before hitting the injured list for the third time this season Monday, this one for inflammation in his left wrist. Still, he represented the Orioles in last week's All-Star Game.
    That injury will keep him out until at least the weekend of the trade deadline, which is Aug. 3. The Orioles have struggled last year and this year and with Samuel Bassallo in the fold long term after signing an extension this year, making Rutschman not as valuable as he once was.
    Still an elite defender, Rutschman is also under club control through the 2027 season, so the Orioles won't be looking to dump him for just anything, yet it wouldn't cost the Cubs an arm and a leg (maybe just an arm) to pry him away.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    One step forward and one step back for the Chicago Cubs' pitching staff.
    Right-handed starter Jameson Taillon was activated from the 15-day injured list to start for the Cubs in Monday's opener of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. Right-hander Aaron Civale was also formally added to the 26-man roster after being designated for assignment by the A's and traded to the Cubs on Saturday.
    The bad news comes in the form of right-handed reliever Phil Maton going back on the 15-day IL with tendinitis in his right knee. This is his third trip to the IL with the same knee issue. Also, left-hander Drew Pomeranz was designated for assignment.
    Taillon has been out since going on the IL June 9 with a strained left hamstring. He spent the last two weeks on a rehab assignment. The Cubs' rotation has been besieged by injuries, one reason for the addition of Civale, who had a 5.42 ERA in 16 games for the A's. Entering Monday's start, Taillon has 6.31 FIP (5.19 ERA) with an 8% walk rate and 20.6% strikeout rate.
    Maton has been a fairly reliable reliever before this season. In addition to the constant knee ailments, he has posted a 5.49 FIP (6.18 ERA) in 31 games and 27⅔ innings. His walk rate (11.8%) and strikeout rate (22.8%) are way down from last year, when he posted marks of 8.9% and 36.7%.
    Pomeranz was signed to a minor-league contract June 22 after being released by the Los Angeles Angels on June 18. After being called up July 3, Pomeranz had a 9.45 FIP (7.94 ERA) in 5⅔ innings over six appearances.
     
    Braden Ramsey
    The Chicago Cubs selected Dylan Blomker at pick No. 159 in the 2026 MLB Draft. Blomker is a right-handed pitcher out of La Cueva High School in New Mexico. The slot value for the pick is $441,300. 
    Blomker, the 2026 Gatorade New Mexico Player of the Year, is an LSU commit. The 18-year-old has a fastball that can touch 96 MPH and a slider with "impressive sweeping rate," per MLB.com's 2026 MLB Draft stream.
    Draft analyst Jonathan Mayo told host Jacob Wilkins that he believes the Cubs can get Blomker to spurn LSU for their organization. Mayo added that "a lot of area scouts" thought Blomker would not be drafted this early -- predicating a move to the collegiate Tigers -- and offered a scouting report on him:
    "Unconventional delivery... he can really spin the ball, a high spin rate, sometimes up to 3000 RPM on the breaking ball. Low 90s, maybe a little more in the tank as he continues to mature... he didn't take that step forward at the beginning of the spring... but got better as the year went on."
    Jason Ross
    The Chicago Cubs selected Dylan Marionneaux with the 126th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft Saturday afternoon. Marionneaux is a pitcher at Northwestern State University. The right-hander had entered the transfer portal this year and had interest from the University of Miami, though ultimately would transfer to the SEC and the Alabama Tide. The slot value for the 126th pick in the MLB draft is $609.200.
    Marionneaux stands 6'3" but is listed only at 163lbs. In his most recent season at Northwestern, he struck out 81 hitters over the span of 84 innings pitched, while sporting a 3.51 ERA on route to making the All-Southland first team. 
    According to Baseball America in 2025, Marionneaux lives in the upper-80s and threw mostly fastball-slider: 
    "Though Lane made history with eight innings in a combined no hitter, the performance of the week goes to Northwestern State’s Dylan Marionneaux, who silenced New Orleans with a complete game shutout in which he struck out nine to just one walk and allowed two hits.
    "Marionneaux, who sits in the high-80s and primarily relies on just a fastball and slider, didn’t allow a base runner after the fifth inning. He has given up just one earned run over his last 21.1 innings."
    This is is a developmental pitcher with prototypical height who could add velocity through strength training. It's also a good sign that multiple SEC programs, such as Alabama and LSU, as well as Miami, were all sniffing around the pitcher in the transfer portal.
    Andrew Wright
    The Chicago Cubs have selected Carson Jasa the with No. 98 overall pick in the MLB draft. Slot value for the selection is $800,000. Jasa went 10-2 with a 3.59 ERA across 87 2/3 innings pitched for Nebraska last season. He limited opponents to just a .204 average last season and posted a 30.4% strikeout rate.
    Jasa used his fastball just 28% of the time last season, but that was because opponents struggled mightily against his off-speed pitches last season, managing just six hits and punching out 81 times against his curveball.
    His player profile from MLB.com says the following about his talents.
    "Jasa averages 96 mph and reaches 98 with his fastball, but it lacks life and command and tends to get hit harder than would be expected, so he has used it just 28 percent of the time this spring. He leans much more on a tight upper-80s slider that tops out at 91 and plays well off his best pitch, a downer 78-82 mph curveball. Opponents went 6-for-111 (.054) with 81 strikeouts against his curve in 2026. Though he doesn't employ his low-80s changeup very often and has difficulty landing it for strikes, it shows promising tumble and fade at its best. Jasa has much better feel for his breaking balls than his dead-zone fastball, and while his control has improved, it's still below average. That means he comes with a good deal of reliever risk, though he also has huge upside as a starter if a team can help him improve his ability to shape and locate his heater. He's athletic and has improved tremendously in college, leading to hope he can continue to do so at the next level."
    Steve Drumwright
    The dynamic talent of Pete Crow-Armstrong is going back to the All-Star Game.
    The Chicago Cubs' center fielder was voted in as an NL reserve to the July 14 game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Crow-Armstrong also went last year.
    Crow-Armstrong is a highlight machine, whether it is with his range and glove covering gap to gap (with the occasional miscue) or his bat booming home runs. He has a slash line of .287/.374/.526 entering play Saturday with 19 home runs and 49 RBIs. He also has a 5.1 bWAR, which is the best in MLB and near the 5.9 he posted last year.
    The nine starters for each team were determined by two rounds of fan balloting, with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement getting automatically selected to start by virtue of leading the first round in the NL and AL, respectively.
    The 23 reserves, which includes 12 pitchers as that position is not up for voting, are selected by player voting and the Commissioner's Office, which ensures that each team has a representative in the game.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs are ready to see what the Drew Pomeranz experience in 2026 is like.
    The Cubs on Friday selected the left-hander from Triple-A Iowa and sent left-hander Jordan Wicks to Triple-A Iowa.
    Pomeranz, who pitched for the Cubs last year, was released by the Los Angeles Angels on June 18 and scooped up by the Cubs four days later. With the Angels, Pomeranz had a 6.33 FIP (5.01 ERA) in 23⅓ innings over 25 relief appearances to go along with an 11.1% walk rate and 14.8% strikeout rate, all notably worse than his 2025 numbers with the Cubs. He also gave up five homers with the Angels.
    In 57 games with the Cubs last year, Pomeranz had a 3.36 FIP (2.27 ERA) with a 7.4% walk rate and 28.1% strikeout rate. His career rates are 10% and 24%.
    After beginning the season on the 15-day injured list, Wicks has been with the Cubs twice now, appearing in four games, starting twice and getting saves in the other two. He has pitched 10⅓ innings and posted a 10.45 ERA with two walks and eight strikeouts.
     
    Brian Kelder
    Veteran Hoby Milner has hit the IL with appendicitis. His place is being filled by Gavin Hollowell.
    An unbelievable stretch of Cubs pitching injuries continues. Ben Brown (neck) and Edward Cabrera (splits, hamstring) went down this week, as did closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) and walking-earned run Phil Maton (ego, knee).
    The Cubs will continue to play games, with or without healthy pitchers. The staff is reeling, and at this point, all you can do is chuckle.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Another day, another pitching injury.
    The Chicago Cubs on Friday placed right-handed reliever Phil Maton on the 15-day injured list with a right knee injury. Left-hander David Peterson, acquired two days ago in a trade with the Mets, was added to the 26-man roster and will make his Cubs debut when he starts Saturday against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
    Maton becomes the 11th Cubs pitcher to currently be on the injured list. He was on the IL in the early stages of the season with tendinitis in his right knee, but was out just a brief time. Acquired at last year's trade deadline and then re-signing with the Cubs as a free agent, Maton has struggled this season. In 30 games and 26⅔ innings, he has a 5.47 FIP (6.08 ERA) with an 11.5% walk rate and 23.8% strikeout rate, both numbers a few percentage points below his career averages (9.2% and 26.5%).
    While the Cubs are desperate for starting pitching, Peterson has also struggled this year, putting up a 3.85 FIP (6.09 ERA) in 16 games, including eight starts. He has a 9.4% walk rate and 19.7% strikeout rate.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    After a few days of mainly bad news regarding the health of the starting rotation, the Chicago Cubs made official what everyone had been anticipating: Matthew Boyd is back.
    The Cubs activated the left-hander from the 15-day injured list so he could start Thursday's series finale against the New York Mets. Right-handed reliever Gavin Hollowell was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
    Boyd had gone on the injured list May 6 after an incident at home where he was playing with his kids and tore his left meniscus, which was immediately repaired via surgery. That came after he missed a good chunk of April with a strained left biceps.
    Boyd's return comes a couple days after the Cubs placed two starters, Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown, on the 15-day IL. Brown's injury, originally called a neck strain, actually ends up being more serious than first thought, with manager Craig Counsell calling it a stress reaction in his neck and keeping Brown sidelined at least a month. The Cubs also claimed right-hander Bryse Wilson off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
    That led the Cubs to make a trade with the Mets following their doubleheader Wednesday in which Chicago acquired left-handed starter David Peterson for prospect first baseman Cole Mathis, who is currently injured.
    Hollowell has been Yo-Yo'd recently. Called up June 16, he was sent down Tuesday, called up Wednesday and sent back to Iowa on Thursday. He appeared in a total of three games for 2⅔ innings in that span.
    After the Mets series, the Cubs begin a big three-game series on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers, who lead the NL Central.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    As injuries continue to hit the pitching staff, the Chicago Cubs continue to bring in help from wherever they can find it.
    The Cubs on Wednesday claimed right-hander Bryse Wilson off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies. Right-handed reliever Christian Roa was designated for assignment to make room for Wilson on the 40-man roster. A move regarding the 26-man roster will need to be made once Wilson reports to the Cubs.
    Wilson was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Monday. The Cubs are approaching desperation mode after two more starting pitchers went on the 15-day injured list before Wednesday's doubleheader against the New York Mets in Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown. The good news is left-hander Matthew Boyd is set to come off the 15-day IL and rejoin the rotation Thursday.
    Wilson made just one appearance with the Phillies, pitching two scoreless innings in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Mets.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Within the span of about 12 hours, the Chicago Cubs lost 40% of their starting rotation.
    The Cubs on Wednesday placed right-handed starters Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown on the 15-day injured list. Right-handed relievers Gavin Hollowell and Vince Velasquez were called up from Triple-A Iowa. Velasquez needed to be added to the 40-man roster, which is full, so right-hander Eduardniel Nunez was designated for assignment.
    Cabrera went on the IL after he strained his left adductor and left hamstring while stretching for a throw as he covered first base in Tuesday's 9-6 victory over the New York Mets. Brown's IL placement was due to a strained neck. They make it six Cubs starting pitchers on the IL, with left-hander Matthew Boyd set to come off Thursday.
    More testing was set for Wednesday to determine the extent of Cabrera's injury, which figures to be much more longer than Brown's. Brown is likely to just have a minimal IL stay. Cabrera, acquired in a big offseason trade with the Miami Marlins, is on the IL for the second time this season after missing the minimum with a blister on his right middle finger, having just returned June 5.
    Cabrera has a 5.07 FIP (5.10 ERA) with a 9.4% walk rate and 21% strikeout rate in 14 starts. Brown has stepped into the rotation following a myriad of injuries, making eight starts in his 20 appearances. He has a 2.50 FIP (1.85 ERA), walking 7.2% and striking out 24.5% of batters.
    Hollowell had just been sent down the day before as right-hander Jayden Murray was added to the roster following a trade.
    Velasquez made a triumphant return to the majors this season after last appearing in 2023. The recently turned 34-year-old pitched in just one game, going 2⅓ shutout innings, with one hit, no walks and one strikeout April 25 in a 12-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    After a rough go with the Houston Astros, Jayden Murray has a second chance with the Chicago Cubs.
    Murray was officially added to the Cubs' 26-man roster after being acquired in a trade Saturday from the Houston Astros for minor-league first baseman Cameron Sisneros. Right-hander Gavin Hollowell was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
    Murray had been designated for assignment by the Astros after a 7.43 ERA in eight appearances and 13⅓ innings. That was quite the difference from when he made his MLB debut in 2025 with the Astros, when he appeared in nine games and had a 1.54 ERA in 11⅔ innings. Murray was drafted in the 23rd round in 2019 out of Dixie State.
    Hollowell has appeared in three games with the Cubs this season, allowing two runs in 3⅔ innings for a 4.91 ERA with five walks and two strikeouts.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    With only a few 40-man roster options available, the Chicago Cubs opted for outfield defense to replace a slumping hitter.
    The Cubs on Friday called up outfielder Justin Dean from Triple-A Iowa following the demotion of designated hitter Moises Ballesteros.
    Dean will be making his Cubs debut after being claimed off waivers this offseason from the San Francisco Giants. Dean was somewhat of a cult figure in the Los Angeles Dodgers' run to the World Series last year, appearing in 13 games but not once coming up to bat. He was a late-inning defensive substitution and pinch-runner. Dean made his MLB debut last year and is hitless in two at-bats over 18 games.
    At Triple-A this year, Dean was slashing .238/.369/.354 with three homers and 25 RBIs, stealing 14 bases in 15 tries.
    Ballesteros being sent down would seem to open more at-bats for Matt Shaw, who was in the lineup in right field for Friday's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, with Seiya Suzuki as the designated hitter.
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs have decided that Moises Ballesteros needs a reset.
    The 22-year-old designated hitter was optioned Thursday to Triple-A Iowa by the Cubs. A move to fill Ballesteros' spot on the 26-man roster will need to be made before Friday's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field.
    Ballesteros has a slash line of .231/.303/.385 with six homers and 23 RBIs in 59 games. Those numbers would be better had it not been for an awful month of May, where he slashed .102/.206/.153 with just six hits in 59 at-bats. His June has been better at .231/.286/.269, already matching his hit total for May in 26 at-bats.
    The left-handed hitter was thought to be an offensive star in the making after making his MLB debut last year and putting up a .298/.394/.474 slash line, hitting two homers and driving in 11 in 20 games. But that has not been the case and the Cubs, at 39-36 and 7½ games behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, decided it was time for Ballesteros to restore some confidence in the minors.
     
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