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Cubs’ Brandon Birdsell To Undergo Elbow Surgery

By Steve Adams | August 27, 2025 at 11:17am CDT

Cubs prospect Brandon Birdsell, one of the top young arms in the system, will undergo surgery on his right elbow this week, assistant general manager Jared Banner announced yesterday (link via Janie McCauley of the Associated Press). Banner didn’t provide specifics regarding the injury, noting only that the procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister — one of the industry’s most prominent orthopedic surgeons — and that more information will be known following the procedure.

Banner made no mention of Birdsell’s ulnar collateral ligament, though that’s obviously the fear in situations like this. It’s relatively common with UCL injuries for medical experts to determine that the ligament needs repair but hold off on making the call between an internal brace and full replacement (i.e. Tommy John surgery) until the operation is underway and the surgeon can get a first-hand look at the extent of the damage. The obvious hope, of course, is that Birdsell is dealing with a less severe injury, but the team won’t divulge that information until after the operation is performed.

Regardless of the nature of the surgery, it’s a setback in the development of Birdsell, a former Texas Tech standout whom the Cubs selected with their fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft. The 6’2″, 240-pound righty put himself on the prospect map with a 2.77 ERA in 107 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A in his first professional season in 2023, and he followed up with 135 2/3 frames of 3.91 ERA ball split between Double-A and Triple-A last year. Along the way, he made notable improvements in both his strikeout and walk rates, finishing out the ’24 campaign at 23.5% and 5.4%, respectively. That 2024 season propelled him up the organization’s prospect rankings, landing him eighth at FanGraphs, ninth at MLB.com and 12th at Baseball America.

Birdsell opened the 2025 season on the injured list with an elbow issue but returned to the mound in mid-June and looked effective for much of the summer. The Cubs eased him back into things with two- and four-inning starts in the low minors before stretching him back out in Triple-A. Birdsell posted a 2.48 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate and 9.2% walk rate in his first seven appearances before being rocked for six runs (three earned) across 4 2/3 innings on Aug. 7 in what will now go down as his final start of the 2025 season.

There’s little left to prove for Birdsell in the minors. He entered the year widely regarded as a nearly MLB-ready back-of-the-rotation arm with a reputation for filling up the strike zone. He’ll be Rule 5-eligible this offseason, presenting the Cubs with an interesting decision if his surgery will knock him out for most or all of the 2026 campaign.

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Chicago Cubs Brandon Birdsell

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24 Comments

  1. Unclemike1526

    1 month ago

    That’s too bad. He was pretty much MLB ready to start 2025 if he didn’t get hurt. Probably not saying because they are going to go in and see exactly what the damage is. Hopefully it’s not a full reconstruct or maybe it’s even bone spurs. Fingers crossed. Probably done until 2027 just in time for the lockout LOL

    4
    Reply
  2. Alan53

    1 month ago

    Sorry to read. This is why good GMs need to develop their prospects AND make opportunistic external additions. The Brewers, for instance, had Misorioski in the wings but also added Priester and Quintana, all the while knowing they had Woodruff coming back. And that’s part of why they are probably going to win the World Series.

    3
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      1 month ago

      Brewers front office has been running circles on Hoyer and the gang, it’s ridiculous how over matched the Cubs have been with a much smaller budget.

      4
      Reply
      • MLB Top 100 Commenter

        1 month ago

        Across

        Go, Cubs! Look, I would not have extended Jed-eye, but you and especially Uncle Mike pile on the Cubs administration which is merely slightly below average not bottom of the barrel.

        Cubs have an identical record to the Phillies and a better record than the Dodgers or Padres.

        If I told you in April 2025, that the Cubs would lose Justin Steele for the season and, with 28 games to go, still be tied for the second best regular season record in the National League you would (or should) consider it a successful year, not a mishap.

        The story is NOT that the Cubs are underperforming, the story is that Milwaukee is really awesome. And the Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Padres and Phillies all have a real chance be in the post-season, all five of them are legitimate teams.

        4
        Reply
        • Acoss1331

          1 month ago

          I like your positivity, and I’ll be hooked but I need them to be in the playoffs. I am a Debbie Downer, absolutely but I can admit that they have done much better than when they started the season and lost Steele, lost Shota for a good while. At the very least, this team can kind of handle winning teams, something the Yankees have trouble with. I’ll be a little more chipper, this team is making the playoffs, and that’s already a win. I’m not being facetious lol

          2
          Reply
        • justme

          1 month ago

          I agree i dont think they have underperformed at all as a whole for the season..i didnt expect them to compete most of the year for the best record in baseball..especially given the injuries to their pitching staff..i do think jed failed them terribly during the trade deadline.but that isnt on the players..over all the players have more then held there own..all that said u have to give the brewers team and management their props for them to be where they are with so much less resources is amazing..but that shouldnt be a knock on the cubs as a whole more of credit to the brewers

          1
          Reply
        • NyyfaninLAA land

          1 month ago

          Hmm – The standings on MLB.com show each teams record against teams >.500. Few teams are at or above .500 there.
          The Cubs are currently 36-35, the Yankees are 37-37. A few teams do the best here – Brewers, Jays, Astros, Phils & Dodgers +4 but most are fairly close to .500 or worse

          Reply
      • sports_fan9921

        1 month ago

        They have a losing record against the Cubs.

        Reply
    • cwsOverhaul

      1 month ago

      Milw has had a great FO for years, but don’t wager too much on them even winning 1 playoff series. There will be zero fear for stars from Philly/LAD or even the sleepwalking Mets (with playoff primetime Soto) lighting up its pitching that consistently overachieves during regular season. It would be a nice story for them to break through vs a string of deep pocket clubs.

      2
      Reply
  3. Blah blah blah

    1 month ago

    Birdsell represents 50% of the Cubs worthwhile pitching prospects so they’ll have to put him on the 40 and burn a spot.

    1
    Reply
  4. Bruce wulff

    1 month ago

    Why does counsell continue to bat Busch 1 when he’s a free swinger and doesn’t see a ton of pitches like Horner which would set up rest of lineup?

    1
    Reply
    • Bucket Number Six

      1 month ago

      During the 2025 season (as of August 27), Michael Busch saw an average of 4.18 pitches per plate appearance (P/PA), while Nico Hoerner saw an average of 3.86 P/PA. This means Busch saw approximately 0.32 more pitches per plate appearance than Hoerner.
      By the numbers
      Michael Busch: 4.18 pitches per plate appearance.
      Calculation: 1,779 total pitches faced divided by 426 plate appearances equals 4.18 P/PA.
      Nico Hoerner: 3.86 pitches per plate appearance.
      Calculation: 1,825 total pitches faced divided by 479 plate appearances equals 3.86 P/PA.
      Context for comparison
      The two Chicago Cubs teammates differ significantly in their plate discipline, likely due to their distinct hitting styles:
      Michael Busch is a more patient hitter, and his higher P/PA is consistent with his tendency to wait for a specific pitch he can drive. He also has a higher walk rate (9.9%) and strikeout rate (27.5%) than Hoerner.
      Nico Hoerner is an aggressive contact hitter who is more likely to put the ball in play early in the count. He has a lower walk rate (6.5%) and strikeout rate (7.9%) than Busch.
      Chicago Cubs Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | MLB.com

      6
      Reply
  5. Bruce wulff

    1 month ago

    Also, no caissie these days which goes without saying. Why is counsell so infatuated with Suzuki who has a couple of good months just like last year?

    2
    Reply
    • Bucket Number Six

      1 month ago

      Why don’t you Google it?

      2
      Reply
      • Lloyd Emerson

        1 month ago

        “it”
        /it/
        pronoun
        1.
        used to refer to a thing previously mentioned or easily identified.
        “a room with two beds in it”
        2.
        used to identify a person.
        “it’s me”

        Reply
        • Bucket Number Six

          1 month ago

          Geez, do I have to do all the work around here? This copying and pasting is giving me a hernia:

          According to public statements and reporting from the 2025 season, Craig Counsell’s confidence in Seiya Suzuki stems from his view of Suzuki’s overall talent and how his improved power output in 2024 elevated the Cubs’ offense. Rather than seeing Suzuki’s strong play as a temporary trend, Counsell sees his sustained high-level production as a sign of his elite ability.

          Counsell’s evaluation of Suzuki
          Consistency, not just “good months”: Counsell and others acknowledge that Suzuki has delivered consistent, solid offensive production throughout his major league career. The perception of his performance might focus on his hot stretches, but he has been a reliably above-average hitter in each of his first three seasons.

          Increased power output: For Counsell, the significant change isn’t just that Suzuki was good, but that he pushed his power production to a new level. In 2024, his barrel rate and isolated power jumped dramatically, ranking among the best in baseball and adding a potent power bat to the lineup. Counsell has praised Suzuki’s swing and strength for making this shift possible.

          A “next level” player: In early 2025, Counsell spoke with Suzuki about the expectations for his performance. He told Suzuki that fans and observers want him to “do more” because they see his potential. Counsell framed this as a “blessing and a curse,” emphasizing that the team and fans believe in his ability to push his game to another level.

          Improved communication: In his first season managing the Cubs in 2024, Counsell admitted that communication with Suzuki was an issue, which he said was his fault. This led to some friction. Counsell made a point to improve this communication in 2025 to put Suzuki in a better position to succeed.

          Context surrounding other roster moves
          Your observation of the Chicago Cubs not playing top outfield prospect Owen Caissie comes with its own context. During the 2025 season, the Cubs faced a crowded outfield and DH situation with several established players who are also high earners, including Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Cody Bellinger. This competition for playing time has made it difficult for Counsell to integrate a promising young player like Caissie. Ultimately, roster decisions involve balancing short-term performance, player development, and managing the team’s payroll and expectations for established veterans.

          Reply
        • Unclemike1526

          1 month ago

          I Googled Stupid Major League Baseball line up and it came back see : Chicago Cubs

          1
          Reply
  6. Bruce wulff

    1 month ago

    Would the brewers consider a straight up manager exchange of Pat Murphy for the cubbies high paid Craig counsell? Don’t think so.

    1
    Reply
    • Bucket Number Six

      1 month ago

      How bout those Sox?

      1
      Reply
    • Manfred Rob's Earth Band

      1 month ago

      Would you consider adding something constructive instead of incessently whining Don’t think so.

      2
      Reply
      • Steelers 6x

        1 month ago

        Earth Band….Bruce is not whining. He is trolled. Just another Sox fan consumed and obsessed with the Cubs.

        Reply
  7. dopt

    1 month ago

    Is this 3rd TJ for Birdsell?

    Reply
  8. Alan53

    1 month ago

    If the Cubs make the playoffs, the optimists and Jed lovers are right. If they don’t make the playoffs, the pessimists and Jed haters, myself included, are right. I think they are not going to make the playoffs. The way they are playing, someone will catch them for the last WC spot. I hope I’m wrong, but we sure have seen this movie before.

    Reply
  9. Bruce wulff

    1 month ago

    If I’m correct, wicks more highly rated pitcher for cubs over bird sell. Does wicks have any future with cubs or is this his swan song?

    1
    Reply

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