Steve Drumwright

The Chicago Cubs have brought back Edward Cabrera, but his role will be different down the stretch than anticipated when he was acquired in the offseason. The right-hander was activated from the 15-day injured list Saturday by the Cubs, who placed right-handed reliever Trent Thornton on the 15-day IL with a sprained left ankle. Cabrera was expected to be a big part of the Cubs' rotation this season, but has battled a couple of injuries this year. The latest one was a blister on his right middle finger, the second time that has sidelined him this year. He also missed time with a strained left hamstring. That has limited him to 15 starts this season. But with the Cubs' bullpen a mess and only two-plus weeks left in the regular season, Cabrera will be put in the bullpen, a role he has filled just twice in 104 career games. He pitched in relief during his rehab assignment. Cabrera has a 5.21 FIP (5.68 ERA) in 76 innings, with a 9.7% walk rate and 20.4% strikeout rate. Thornton's move is more precautious even though the timing of a postseason race is bad. Thornton's left foot is the same one he tore his Achilles last year. The earliest he could return is the final game of the regular season. He has posted a 5.21 FIP (3.35 ERA) in 48 appearances and 48⅓ innings with a 8.7% walk rate and 15.8% strikeout rate. View full rumor

The Chicago Cubs are going to be adding a little power to their bench when rosters expand Tuesday. Corner infielder B.J. Murray will be called up Tuesday when MLB rosters increase by two spots to 28. Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed the move Monday as Murray took batting practice before the series opener against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Only one of the two extra spots can be filled by a pitcher. Murray, who is not among North Side Baseball's Top 20 prospects, had a .294/.395/.500 slash line with 16 homers and 68 RBIs in 118 games with Triple-A Iowa this year. Murray hit 20 homers with 89 RBIs in 2025 at Double-A Knoxville as he had a slash line of .242/.363/.418 in 125 games. The 26-year-old, a 15th-round draft choice in 2021 out of Florida, played in the World Baseball Classic for Great Britain this spring. He will become the 10th player born in the Bahamas to make his MLB debut. View full rumor

The Chicago Cubs are getting their Opening Day closer back at just the right time. Right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia was activated from the 60-injured list by the Cubs on Friday. Infielder Gabriel Arias, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets, also officially joined the 26-man roster. To make room for both, infielder Owen Miller was designated for assignment and right-hander Javier Assad was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs entered play Friday five games behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in MLB, and lead the NL wild-card standings. Palencia made his last appearance June 15 and has been out with a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. He has been in 19 games, with a 3.45 FIP (2.70 ERA) over 16⅔ innings. His walk rate is 8.5% and his strikeout rate is 26.8%. Palencia has converted all three of his save chances. The Cubs rank 22nd in MLB with 29 saves. Arias is with his third MLB team this season, having been with the Cleveland Guardians in addition to the Mets before joining the Cubs. He has a .235/.273/.371 slash line with five homers and 11 RBIs in 44 games. Miller was just called up a few days ago but only appeared in one game defensively. Assad is being optioned for the fourth time this year. He has been a vital piece when in the majors, appearing in 22 games, including 10 starts. In 83⅓ innings, he has a 4.97 FIP (3.46 ERA) with a 6.3% walk rate and 16.6% strikeout rate. View full rumor

It was a double dose of bad news for the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Shortstop Dansby Swanson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique, while right-handed starter Edward Cabrera only lasted one game before going back on the 15-day IL with a blister on his right middle finger. Infielder Owen Miller had his contract selected from Triple-A Iowa, with right-hander Javier Assad and outfielder Kevin Alcantara called up from the I-Cubs. Infielder James Triantos was optioned to Iowa, while right-handed closer Daniel Palencia was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL in a paperwork move to get Miller on the 40-man roster. Palencia has already spent 60 days on the IL. Swanson could miss the rest of the regular season with the oblique injury. He sustained the injury during a swing in the third inning of Sunday's 11-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. It is a huge blow to the Cubs. Swanson is a terrific defender and has contributed 18 homers offensively, even if his slash line sits at a disappointing .216/.300/.404. Cabrera had come off the IL to start Sunday following a strained left hamstring that had kept him out since June 24. He lasted just 3⅔ innings vs. the Cardinals, allowing seven runs on six hits and three walks with two strikeouts. He had the middle finger bandaged after the game. Miller has spent the entire season at Triple-A, putting up a .296/.350/.457 slash line with nine homers and 57 RBIs in 96 games. View full rumor

The only good thing about injuries is that, eventually, a player returns to good health. And so it is with right-hander Edward Cabrera, who was activated off the 15-day injured list and will start Sunday's game for the Chicago Cubs. Right-hander Javier Assad was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. Cabrera, who will face the St. Louis Cardinals in Sunday's series finale, has been out since June 24 with a strained left hamstring, his second stay on the IL this year following a brief blister issue on his right middle finger a month prior. His first year with the Cubs has not gone swimmingly as he has posted a 5.05 FIP (5.10 ERA) with walk and strikeout rates of 9.4% and 21%, respectively. He was a big offseason addition following a trade with the Miami Marlins, but returns in time for the most crucial part of the regular season after making three minor-league rehab starts. Assad has been a valuable swingman for the pitching staff, able to start or relieve. While bouncing between the majors and Triple-A, Assad has appeared in 21 games, including 10 starts, and put up a 5.09 FIP (3.59 ERA) with a 6.5% walk rate and 16.5% strikeout rate. View full rumor

One of the more coveted arms at the trade deadline hasn't pitched in an MLB game since mid-May. That is not stopping contenders from pursuing New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes. According to multiple reports, including Ari Alexander of Boston TV station WHDH, the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are among the chief competitors for the right-handed starter. Holmes has been out since taking a line drive off his right leg, resulting in a fractured right fibula May 15. But Holmes made what was expected to be a final rehab appearance Sunday at High A, pitching 5⅓ innings (73 pitches) and allowing four runs, three earned. He was a bright spot in a dismal Mets season before going down, posting a 3.21 FIP (2.39 ERA) in nine starts and 52⅔ innings, with an 8.4% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate. Holmes is being paid $13 million this year (about $3.8 million remaining) and $12 million next year. That plus the number of suitors means Holmes will come at a decent prospect cost. View full rumor

The Chicago Cubs have been dumpster-diving and flipping over couch cushions in a quest to find starting pitchers to fill the void of their latest injury. With the trade deadline rapidly coming at them (Monday, 5 p.m. CT), the Cubs' priority is added multiple pitchers—starters and/or relievers—to give the team the best chance to not only secure a postseason berth, but to make a deep run, The Athletic's Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma reported Saturday. The Cubs entered play Saturday 6½ games out of first place in the NL Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers, but leading the NL wild-card race. Currently, the Cubs have 13 pitchers on the injured list, including six on the 60-day IL. Which of those pitchers come back and how effective they will be is up for debate. Of course, every contending team is looking for pretty much the exact same thing, so the bidding will be stiff for the best arms. The Cubs, according to The Athletic, are still in the mix for Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner from the Detroit Tigers, but more in the second wave of interested teams. The first wave is said to be the Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta. The Cubs could go back to the New York Mets to improve their pitching staff. They acquired left-handed starter David Peterson in late June from the Mets, who are opening to dealing right-handers Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes. Holmes is scheduled to make a rehab start Sunday as he comes back from a fractured right fibula, although that could potentially be postponed if a deal is near. The Mets scratched Peralta from Friday's start and the Los Angeles Angels did the same with right-hander Jorge Soriano, another trade candidate, Saturday. Possible bullpen adds are San Diego Padres left-hander Adrian Morejob, Mets right-hander Luke Weaver and Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jeff Hoffman. View full rumor