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Poll: Which Team Had The Most Impressive First Half?

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The All-Star game is now behind us, and we’re in the lull before games kick back up and the second half begins. There’s still plenty of baseball left to play, but in the meantime we’ll take stock of the state of the 2025 season and weigh which team impressed the most during the first half of the season. A look at some of the league’s top teams:

Detroit Tigers (59-38)

Entering the All-Star break with MLB’s best record is a surefire way to get serious consideration for an accolade like this, but the Tigers are arguably even more impressive than their record lets on given just how much they’ve outperformed their preseason expectations. Fangraphs projected the Tigers for a record of just 83-79, with a  sub-50% chance to make the postseason. Detroit would have to win only 25 games over the season’s final ten weeks in order to beat that projection, thanks to strong performances from surprise All-Stars Javier Baez, Gleyber Torres, and Zach McKinstry alongside the ever impressive work of stars like Riley Greene and Tarik Skubal.

Los Angeles Dodgers (58-39)

That the Dodgers have the best record in the National League is practically assumed in recent years, which speaks to the overwhelming dominance of the team Andrew Friedman and the rest of the front office have constructed. Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound and putting together another likely MVP campaign, Will Smith is having a career season behind the plate, and bottom-of-the-lineup players like Andy Pages and Hyeseong Kim are contributing. While dominance in Los Angeles is hardly a surprise, it’s nonetheless impressive that they’ve been able to maintain their high standard of play even in spite of the rising tide of competitive teams in the National League, extended slumps from both Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, and a patchwork rotation that at points in the first half had more Cy Young awards on the injured list than healthy members of its projected Opening Day rotation.

Chicago Cubs (57-39)

The Cubs’ front office entered 2025 feeling pressure after seven years without winning a playoff game and four without so much as a postseason appearance. That helped convince them to swing a trade for superstar Kyle Tucker, who has anchored their lineup alongside breakout MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong. Tucker and Crow-Armstrong get the majority of the attention, but Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch, and even veteran backstop Carson Kelly have put together strong seasons in their own rights. A pitching staff that lost both of its top starters early has been carried by a strong showing from offseason addition Matthew Boyd. It’s been enough to put them in the driver’s seat of the NL Central, and while that may have been expected entering the season, Chicago has made a statement by entering the second half in position to nab a bye through the Wild Card round.

Houston Astros (56-40)

After getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs last year and the aforementioned Tucker trade, the Astros were a trendy pick to finally lose their grip on the AL West this year. They’ve answered the doubters impressively, plugging along despite getting virtually no production from Yordan Alvarez—or any other left-handed hitter, for that matter. Isaac Paredes has looked right at home in Daikin Park, and Cam Smith has taken to the majors quite well despite being getting just a handful of games at the Double-A level ahead of his big league debut. The real story of the season for the Astros has been in the rotation, however, as Hunter Brown has stepped up to make himself a true ace and legitimate Cy Young contender in a season where Houston would’ve otherwise had little certainty outside of pending free agent Framber Valdez.

Toronto Blue Jays (55-41)

The narrative surrounding the Blue Jays was such a bleak one entering this season that it’s impossible to ignore how quickly they’ve managed to turn things around. After missing out on the big fish in free agency for the second consecutive year, it seemed entering the season that the questions facing Toronto this summer would be about the future of Ross Atkins as GM and whether or not they’d need to trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. before the deadline. A resurgent season from George Springer, a career year for Alejandro Kirk, and the breakout of Addison Barger have come together to help push this club to the top of a competitive AL East, however, and with both Guerrero and Kirk locked up long term the Jays should be looking towards brighter days in the future, as well.

Other Options

While those five teams have put together some of the most impressive first halves of the season, they’re far from the only contenders. The Phillies and Mets are locked in a tight battle for control of the NL East, and the starting pitching in Queens has been a pleasant surprise given the contributions of pieces like Griffin Canning (before his season-ending Achilles tear) and Clay Holmes. The Giants and Cardinals both entered this season viewed as potential deadline sellers but have put together strong enough campaigns to remain within the thick of the playoff race.

The Brewers appeared to be a question mark after losing Willy Adames and Devin Williams this offseason, but they’re just one game back of the Cubs in the NL Central and might get even better down the stretch now that Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Misiorowski are contributing. The Mariners have been able to hang in the playoff picture despite lengthy absences for both George Kirby and Logan Gilbert, while the Yankees have overcome significant rotation injuries. The Rays entered the season without even having a proper ballpark and look as strong as ever even after selling off key pieces like Paredes and Tyler Glasnow in recent years.

With so many strong performances in the first half, which team was the most impressive? Have your say in the poll below:

Multiple Teams Showing Interest In Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax

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Virtually every contender is looking for relief help come the deadline each season, and the 2025 campaign figures to be no exception to that. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, two members of the Twins’ bullpen are getting plenty of attention from rival clubs this trade season: closer Jhoan Duran and setup man Griffin Jax. Nightengale highlights the Phillies as one potential suitor, a suggestion that lines up with reporting last week regarding Philadelphia’s interest in the pair, and goes on to list the Tigers, Cubs, Dodgers, and Reds as other clubs that are intrigued by Minnesota’s impact arms.

It’s not hard to see why teams would have interest in the duo. Duran is the bigger name of the two. The 27-year-old has averaged more than 100 mph on his fastball every season of his career and pairs his impressive 31.0% career strikeout rate with a career ground ball rate of 63.9%. That ability to both miss bats and keep the ball on the ground is hard to match, and Duran’s 2.38 ERA since making his big league debut back in 2022 speaks for itself. Jax, meanwhile, pitched poorly as a starter in his rookie season but has posted a 3.22 ERA with a 2.63 FIP, a 30.3% strikeout rate, and a 50.3% ground ball rate since moving to the bullpen in 2022.

A .391 BABIP has held Jax’s results back this year, but he’s striking out an absurd 38.0% of batters faced while walking 5.8%. Duran, meanwhile, has by far the lowest K-BB% of his career in 2025 but is making up for it with an eye-popping 69.2% ground ball rate. Duran is in the midst of the stronger season and has substantial closing experience that Jax lacks, but either one should bring Minnesota back a haul if traded this summer between their dominance and the fact that they can both be controlled via arbitration through the end of the 2027 season.

Of course, all of this hinges on the Twins actually being interested in selling. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey suggested just a few short weeks ago that the club was not “focusing on” the possibility of selling this summer. Minnesota has gone 11-8 since Falvey made those comments, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them decide to hold onto controllable pieces like Duran and Jax. On the other hand, trading one of the club’s two dominant relievers could make it easier for the club to address other holes in the roster while still retaining the other to serve as one of the sport’s best closers going forward.

Looking at the potential suitors, the Phillies and Reds make a ton of sense as teams that could desperately use reinforcements in the bullpen. Philadelphia’s gamble on Jordan Romano this past winter hasn’t worked out, and a PED suspension for Jose Alvarado means that he’ll not only miss half the year but be ineligible to pitch in the postseason for the Phillies this year. That leaves the club in desperate need of the sort of lockdown relief arm they lost when they allowed both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez to walk in free agency last year. As for the Reds, Cincinnati’s closer Alexis Diaz was torched to a 12.00 ERA in six outings before being optioned to Triple-A and eventually traded to Los Angeles, where he’s continued to struggle.

The Cubs and Tigers have less glaring needs at the back of their bullpen, but both figure to be very aggressive this summer as they currently sit positioned for a bye through the first round of the playoffs. Adding a dominant closer at the deadline can be a way to push a good team over the edge and make them favorites in the postseason, and while incumbent closers Daniel Palencia and Will Vest are impressive relievers it’s not hard to see why Chicago or Detroit would want a more proven option in the ninth for a playoff run. As for the Dodgers, the club’s splashy additions of Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to the back of their bullpen have looked a bit shakier than anticipated, and given how aggressively L.A. prioritized adding relief help in the winter it’s understandable they would continue to do so this summer with both of their star additions sporting ERAs approaching 4.00.

Cubs Select Brooks Kriske

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The Cubs announced that right-hander Brooks Kriske’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Iowa.  Left-hander Jordan Wicks was optioned to Triple-A to create 26-man roster space, and that was the only corresponding move necessary since Chicago already had an open spot on its 40-man roster.

Kriske was signed to a minor league deal during the offseason, and this marks his second stint on the Cubs’ MLB roster this season.  The righty ended up appearing in one game when his contract was previously selected back in May, and the Cubs designated him for assignment a few days later, and then outrighted Kriske off the 40-man roster once he cleared waivers.

That two-inning outing on May 24 marked Kriske’s first big league game since he appeared in four games for the 2023 Royals.  Kriske’s Major League resume consists of 21 games and 23 2/3 innings over parts of four seasons with the Yankees, Orioles, Royals, and Cubs, and he has been hit hard for a 10.27 ERA during his brief time in the Show.

This could very well end up being another cup of coffee in the majors for Kriske, as the Cubs might just need a fresh arm for the weekend in the wake of yesterday’s 11-0 loss to the Yankees.  Wicks allowed six runs over three innings of work in a relief outing and surely wouldn’t have been available for either of the two games remaining before the All-Star break.

The situation lines Kriske up for a possible appearance against his former team, and the club that initially selected him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft.  After spending parts of his first five pro seasons with the Yankees, Kriske has bounced around to a few other teams and also spent parts of the 2022-23 seasons pitching in Japan.

Lee Elia Passes Away

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Former MLB player and manager Lee Elia passed away on Wednesday, according to announcements from multiple teams. He was 87.

A Philadelphia native, Elia signed with his hometown club in 1959 after attending the University of Delaware. He had an unremarkable MLB playing career. He briefly reached the majors with the Cubs and White Sox and hit .203 in 95 games. He moved into coaching after spending parts of 12 seasons in the minor leagues. Elia had a lengthy and successful run in coaching.

He won a World Series with the Phillies as third base coach under skipper Dallas Green in 1980. Green was hired by the Cubs as general manager going into the ’82 season. He hired Elia to manage in Chicago. Elia held the position for a season and a half, leading the team to a 127-158 record before being fired. His tenure was most memorable for an expletive-laden tirade ripping Cubs fans who’d expressed displeasure with the team’s slow start to the ’83 campaign.

Elia got another brief managerial opportunity later in the decade. He returned to Philly and managed the club to a 111-142 record during parts of the 1987-88 seasons. While Elia never managed in the majors after that, he worked in scouting and various coaching capacities for the Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Devil Rays, Braves and Orioles in a career that ran well into the 2010s. MLBTR joins others throughout the game in sending condolences to Elia’s family, loved ones, and many friends and former colleagues around baseball.

Joe Coleman Passes Away

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Former big league pitcher Joe Coleman has passed away yesterday, according to multiple reports. He was 78 years old.

Coleman was a baseball lifer. His father, also named Joe Coleman, pitched in the majors in the ’40s and ’50s. The younger Coleman was born in 1947 and grew up around the game. “I can remember a time that I sat on Mr. (Connie) Mack’s knee for a picture,” Coleman once said. “After the games I used to run around the infield and slide into every base.”

By the mid-’60s, Coleman was pitching in high school. The very first Major League Baseball draft was held in 1965 and Coleman went third overall. The Athletics went first and took Rick Monday, followed by the Mets taking Les Rohr. The Washington Senators, the franchise which would eventually become the Texas Rangers, took Coleman with the third pick.

Shortly after being drafted, Coleman got some cups of coffee in the majors. He made two starts in his draft year, at the age of 18, and one more start in 1966. He would get lengthier stints in subsequent seasons. He logged 134 innings in 1967, posting a 4.63 earned run average. He followed that up with 223 innings with a 3.27 ERA in 1968.

Going into 1969, the Senators hired Ted Williams to manage the club. Coleman and Williams didn’t get along, but the pitcher still managed to post good numbers. Over the 1969 and 1970 seasons, Coleman logged 466 1/3 innings with a 3.42 ERA.

Perhaps due to the contentious relationship with Williams, Coleman was shipped out of town shortly after the 1970 season. He was sent to the Tigers alongside Ed Brinkman, Jim Hannan and Aurelio Rodríguez in exchange for Elliott Maddox, Denny McLain, Norm McRae and Don Wert.

The change of scenery worked out well for Coleman and the Tigers. He posted a 3.15 ERA in 286 innings in 1971. The following year, he dropped his ERA to 2.80 in 280 innings, getting selected to the All-Star team in the process.

Detroit ended up atop the American League East in that strike-shortened season. In the ALCS, which was a best-of-five series at that time, the Athletics took the first two games in Oakland. The series shifted back to Detroit and Coleman got the ball for game three. He tossed a complete game shutout as the Tigers won 3-0. His 14 strikeouts that day were an ALCS record at the time. Though Mike Boddicker tied the record in 1983, it wasn’t topped until Mike Mussina got to 15 in 1997. The Tigers would also win the fourth game of that series but dropped the fifth and were eliminated. That one brilliant performance would eventually go down as Coleman’s only postseason appearance.

He stayed in Detroit for a few more years, though with declining results. His ERA climbed to 3.53 in 1973, 4.32 the year after that and then 5.55 in 1975. He went into journeyman mode from there, pitching for the Cubs, Athletics, Blue Jays, Giants and Pirates throughout the rest of the decade. He finished his playing career with a 3.70 ERA over 2,569 1/3 innings.

After his playing days were done, he went into coaching, doing some minor league work within the systems of the Mariners and the Angels. He would eventually get up to the majors with the latter club, serving as bullpen coach. He then spent a few years as the pitching coach of the Cardinals from 1991 to 1994 before returning to the Angels, serving at times as bullpen coach and pitching coach. He later spent some time coaching in the minors for the Rays, Tigers and Marlins. His son Casey Coleman pitched for the Cubs and Royals about a decade ago, making three straight generations of Coleman men pitching in the majors.

We at MLB Trade Rumors join the baseball world in sending our condolences to the Coleman family and everyone else in mourning this week.

Photo courtesy of Malcolm Emmons, Imagn Images

Trade Deadline Outlook: Chicago Cubs

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Led by All-Star starters Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs are in a great position to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.  Their position player mix could use some tweaks, but the team's priority will be its battered rotation.

Jed Hoyer has had the top chair in the Cubs' baseball operations department since Theo Epstein stepped down in November 2020.  Hoyer was the number two man in Epstein's front office before that, after he'd led the Padres' front office for two years.  He's played a large part for "buy mode" contenders across many trade deadlines and has been unafraid to move prospects and good young players.  Hoyer sent a strong "all-in" message in December by trading last year's first rounder Cam Smith along with three years of Isaac Paredes and five of Hayden Wesneski for one year of Kyle Tucker.

Hoyer is in the last year of a five-year contract with the Cubs, so it's a bit odd to have him making long-term decisions for the franchise with his own future in doubt.  Back when Epstein stepped down, he said, "The organization faces many decisions this winter that carry long-term consequences; those types of decisions are best made by someone who will be here for a long period rather than for just one more year."  Perhaps an extension for Hoyer is forthcoming.  For now, I'm sure, his focus is on shoring up the first-place Cubs for a deep playoff run.

Record: 54-36 (94.6% playoff probability)

Buy Mode

Potential needs: Two starting pitchers, starting third baseman, lefty-mashing first baseman, general relief help

With Jameson Taillon on the IL into August due to a calf strain, the Cubs' rotation is down to two reliable established Major Leaguers: Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd.  Expected ace Justin Steele is out for the season due to Tommy John surgery.

Taillon still figures to be part of the playoff picture for the Cubs.  Colin Rea and Cade Horton are in the rotation at present, and Ben Brown made 14 starts before being optioned in late June.  Veteran Chris Flexen made 30 starts last year.  Jordan Wicks got the call four days ago but may be used in a long relief role.  Javier Assad, who started 29 games last year, has been dealing with an oblique injury all season.  It's not clear what the Cubs will get from him in 2025.

There are enough rotation options on hand to get through the regular season, but the goal is to win the World Series.  Boyd, the Cubs' All-Star lefty, is 34 years old and hasn't shouldered a full workload since 2019.  This team needs to add two starting pitchers, including at least one who can start a playoff game.

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Cubs, Tigers Among Teams Interested In Ke’Bryan Hayes

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Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is drawing interest from multiple teams, with reporter Francys Romero listing last week that the Cubs, Tigers, and Yankees were all “potential suitors.”  Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote a few days ago that Hayes was indeed “on the Yankees’ radar,” and Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that Chicago and Detroit have also checked in with the Pirates about Hayes’ status.

Hayes remains one of the sport’s best defenders at any position, as he is again posting fantastic numbers (+13 Outs Above Average, +11 Defensive Runs Saved) over 710 1/3 innings at the hot corner.  The 28-year-old has also played in 83 games this season and thus far stayed off the injured list, which is noteworthy given how recurring back problems have plagued Hayes for multiple years, and limited him to just 96 games in 2024.

On the down side, Hayes is still producing next to nothing at the plate.  It seemed as though Hayes was turning a corner with his .762 OPS season in 2023, as even producing league-average offense along with his superb glove would’ve made Hayes a great all-around boost to Pittsburgh’s lineup.  However, his bat has cratered over the last two years, as his .238/.288/.295 slash line over 721 plate appearances has resulted in a dismal 62 wRC+.  Since Opening Day, Hayes has the lowest wRC+ of any player in baseball with at least 700 PA.

Another possible obstacle to a trade is the eight-year, $70MM extension Hayes signed with the Pirates in April 2022.  He is still owed the remainder of his $7MM salary for 2025, $30MM over the 2026-29 seasons, and then a $6MM buyout of a $12MM club option for the 2030 campaign.  As great as Hayes’ glovework is, a trade partner would be taking a risk in absorbing over $39MM for a player with a history of both back problems and lackluster offense.

Third base has been a problem area for the Cubs all season, as the team’s hope that top prospect Matt Shaw was ready for prime time hasn’t yet paid off.  A month-long demotion to Triple-A resulted in a brief surge at the plate once Shaw was recalled to the majors in May, but his bat tapered off again, and Shaw is hitting only .207/.288/.293 over 222 PA.  Backup options like Vidal Brujan or Jon Berti also haven’t contributed much, leaving the hot corner as a clear weak link in an otherwise very strong Chicago lineup.

Hayes’ lack of pop would be less of an issue amidst so many other strong hitters, yet Shaw is no slouch with the glove himself — he has +6 DRS, though the OAA metric has him only league-average over 487 2/3 innings at third base.  Acquiring Hayes would also block Shaw at third base over an extended period of time, whereas just picking up a rental third baseman at the deadline would help the Cubs’ chances of winning in 2025 while still keeping Shaw in line as the third baseman of the future.

It can be argued that third base isn’t even a need position for the Tigers at all, as the position has become Zach McKinstry’s most common pathway into the lineup.  McKinstry is hitting an impressive .285/.356/.456 over 307 PA, and he has gone from being a utility option to a near-everyday option for manager A.J. Hinch.  The advanced metrics indicate that McKinstry is due for regression, however, and the fact that he hasn’t hit anywhere near this level in his previous five Major League seasons could leave Detroit looking for more stability at third base.

Javier Baez, Colt Keith, Jace Jung, and Andy Ibanez have all also seen time at third base for the Tigers this year, with the latter two currently in Triple-A.  Baez looks to have re-established himself at shortstop and Detroit would love to see Keith find a regular spot for himself in the lineup, as his past positions of first and second base have been filled by Spencer Torkelson and Gleyber Torres.  Relying on Keith for a pennant run is risky, however, so the Tigers may prefer exploring veteran third base options at the deadline.

From the Pirates’ perspective, it isn’t surprising that the club is already open to moving a player that so recently seemed like a building block.  With the Buccos now approaching their seventh straight losing season, it isn’t clear if their rebuild is bearing much fruit, even with Paul Skenes’ rise to superstardom and so many other promising young arms on the way.  The struggling Pirates are reportedly open to moving basically anyone besides Skenes and Andrew McCutchen, and dealing Hayes has the side benefit of moving a long-term financial commitment from the team’s books.

Dan Straily Announces Retirement

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Eight-year MLB veteran Dan Straily has announced his retirement, as relayed by Codify Baseball on social media. Straily pitched for the A’s, Cubs, Astros, Reds, Marlins, and Orioles in his MLB career.

Straily, 36, was a 24th-round pick by the A’s back in 2009. He made his big league debut a few years later during the 2012 season and provided league average results for Oakland down the stretch, with a 3.89 ERA in seven starts despite allowing 11 homers in those seven outings. He returned to the Athletics rotation for the 2013 season and was now able to post league average results with matching peripherals as he pitched to a 3.96 ERA (98 ERA+) with a 4.05 FIP across 152 2/3 innings and 27 starts. That performance was impressive enough to earn Straily a fourth-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting that year behind Wil Myers, Jose Iglesias, and Chris Archer.

In 2014, Straily struggled a bit in seven early-season starts with the A’s and was optioned to Triple-A. That changed when Straily was traded to the Cubs alongside top prospects Addison Russell and Billy McKinney for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. Straily made a few appearances with Chicago, but they weren’t productive outings. The Cubs saw fit to move on from Straily following the 2014 campaign, and during the offseason he was flipped to the Astros alongside Luis Valbuena in the deal that sent Dexter Fowler to Chicago. Straily once again spent much of the 2015 season in the minors, making just four appearances in the majors for Houston while pitching to a 5.40 ERA in those outings.

Straily was traded for a third time in early 2016, when he was dealt by the Astros to the Padres for Erik Kratz. San Diego promptly designated Straily for assignment, but was plucked off waivers by the Reds and managed to stick in the big leagues with Cincinnati. The righty had arguably the best season of his career with the Reds as he pitched to a 3.76 ERA in a career-high 191 1/3 innings of work. While Straily’s home run rate held back his peripherals (4.88 FIP), he was the exact sort of reliable, innings-eating arm a rebuilding club like the Reds needed.

The fourth trade of Straily’s career came after his strong 2016 season, when the Marlins sought to acquire some rotation depth and surrendered a package of talent headlined by eventual Reds ace Luis Castillo to acquire him. Straily pitched two seasons at the back of Miami’s rotation, with a 4.20 ERA and 4.79 FIP across 304 innings of work. He was released by Miami shortly before Opening Day 2019 and latched on with the Orioles, for whom he struggled to provide results across 47 2/3 innings before being designated for assignment in June of that year.

Straily’s stint with the Orioles was the end of his time in the majors, but it was by no means the end of his professional career as a player. The righty went overseas to the KBO League and went on to make 89 starts for the Lotte Giants with a 3.29 ERA in 503 innings of work from 2020 to 2023. He made brief stateside returns in 2022 and ’24 with the Diamondbacks and Cubs, but was unable to crack the big league roster with either club. Straily wrapped up his pro career with 32 innings of work for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico of the independent Mexican League this year, and exits baseball with a lifetime 4.19 ERA across 2351 1/3 innings of work between the major, minor, and foreign leagues he participated in. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Straily on a fine career and wish him all the best in his post-playing pursuits.

Cubs Sign Ryan Jensen To Minor League Deal

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The Cubs have signed right-hander Ryan Jensen to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He had been in the Twins’ system but was released a little over a week ago. The Cubs also released right-hander Phil Bickford, according to his tracker.

Jensen, 27, was a first-round pick of the Cubs back in 2019. On his way up the minor league ladder, significant control problems seemed to get in his way. From 2019 to 2022, he tossed 151 2/3 minor league innings with a 4.04 earned run average. He struck out 26.3% of batters faced and got ground balls on more than half the balls in play he allowed but he also gave out walks at a 13.1% pace.

Despite the control problems, the Cubs gave him a 40-man spot in November of 2022, not wanting him to be plucked in the Rule 5 draft. Less than a year later, he was on the waiver wire, getting claimed by the Mariners. He would subsequently go to the Marlins and Twins, also on waiver claims, until the Twins passed him through waivers in February of last year.

Along the way, the control problems haven’t improved. From the start of 2023 to the present, he has thrown 149 2/3 minor league innings with a 5.35 ERA, 27.8% strikeout rate and plenty of ground balls but an 18.3% walk rate. The Twins have apparently given up but his original organization will take a flier and see what happens.

Bickford, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in the offseason. He may have triggered an opt-out in that deal because he has been dominant this year. He has thrown 27 2/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa with a 2.60 ERA, 34% strikeout rate and 5.7% walk rate.

He also has some good major league work on his track record. Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, he tossed 112 1/3 innings in the big leagues with a 3.85 ERA, 27.8% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate. In 2023, he was still getting punchouts but his walk rate spiked to 12.8%. Last year, he only got a brief MLB look, which didn’t go well. He tossed 8 1/3 innings for the Yankees with an 8.64 ERA.

Photo courtesy of Chris Tilley, Imagn Images

Cubs Place Jameson Taillon On 15-Day IL With Calf Strain

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The Cubs are placing starting pitcher Jameson Taillon on the 15-day injured list with a strained right calf. The team revealed the news to reporters (including Patrick Mooney of The Athletic) this morning and confirmed the transaction shortly thereafter. Jordan Wicks is coming up from the Triple-A Iowa Cubs to take Taillon’s spot on the active roster. However, manager Craig Counsell said that Chris Flexen, not Wicks, is the most likely candidate to temporarily join the rotation (per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score). Flexen has been working as a long reliever this season, but he made 30 starts for the White Sox just last year.

Taillon, 33, suffered the injury while running in a training session and is expected to miss more than a month (per Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times). While he hasn’t been as effective for Chicago as he was last year, there is no doubt the Cubs will miss his reliable presence on the mound every five days. His 95 1/3 innings rank 20th among NL starting pitchers, while his 4.44 ERA (85 ERA+) and 4.24 xERA (32nd percentile) suggest he has been more than serviceable as an inning-eating back-end starter. He hasn’t looked his best recently, with a 10.66 ERA over 12 2/3 innings in his last three starts, so if there is any silver lining to this injury, it is that he will have some time to rest and reset. The Cubs will hope he returns looking more like the guy who pitched to a 3.48 ERA over his first 14 starts.

Wicks, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2021, has never quite looked comfortable at the MLB level, with a career 5.23 ERA and 4.68 SIERA over 82 2/3 innings from 2023-25. With that said, he has looked sharp over his last handful of outings at Triple-A (16 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 20 K, 3 BB). The 25-year-old will presumably take over Flexen’s low-leverage long-relief gig. Flexen, meanwhile, shouldn’t have too much trouble transitioning back to the rotation. He started five games at Triple-A in April before he was called up to the big league club, pitching to a 3-0 record with a 1.16 ERA and 2.89 FIP. While he has not started in the majors since 2024, he tossed four scoreless innings of relief against the Astros last week, so stretching out shouldn’t be too difficult. Although Flexen was not very effective as a starter in either of the last two seasons, he has more than earned another opportunity with his excellent performance so far in 2025. In 29 innings spread out over 16 appearances, he has given up just two earned runs on 16 hits.

The Cubs have been without Javier Assad (oblique injury) all season, and Justin Steele required season-ending elbow surgery after just four starts. Shota Imanaga also missed significant time earlier this year, but the Cubs were grateful to see him back on the mound last week. Imanaga and the surprisingly dominant Matthew Boyd give Chicago a strong one-two punch atop the rotation, but the back end could be a weak spot until Taillon returns.

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