Tigers Notes: Skubal, Verlander, Mize, Jansen
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal made a rehab start today for High-A West Michigan. The two-time Cy Young winner put on a masterclass for his minor league teammates, tossing five scoreless innings on 54 pitches (44 strikes). He struck out six and gave up just a pair of singles. As ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed out, it’s only been a month since Skubal went for NanoScope arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. Whether his quick recovery says more about the surgical technology or Skubal himself, it’s remarkable either way.
Following his start this afternoon, Skubal went to the bullpen to throw some more pitches (per The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen). In other words, he wasn’t removed after 54 bullets because that’s all he could throw. That’s a good indication that Skubal’s next start could be for the Tigers. Before his rehab outing, manager A.J. Hinch suggested he might only need the one tune-up start as long as all went well. It certainly seems as if all did, in fact, go well.
Skubal isn’t the only pitcher working his way back to Detroit. Earlier today, Hinch also offered updates on Justin Verlander, Casey Mize, and Kenley Jansen (per reporter Chris McCosky). Verlander is set to make a second rehab start for Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday. He made his first rehab start last week, tossing five scoreless innings with three strikeouts. The Tigers legend has been on the shelf since his first start of the season with inflammation in his left hip. Barring a setback, a third rehab start seems unlikely.
Mize and Jansen are both lined up to pitch on Tuesday. Mize has not been out for long; right adductor inflammation sent him to the injured list at the end of May. His outing this week for Single-A Lakeland should be the only rehab start he needs before he can also rejoin the Tigers’ rotation. Jansen hit the IL around the same time as Mize with pelvic inflammation. Given that timeline, it’s plausible that he, too, will be ready to come back after one rehab appearance.
With Skubal, Verlander, and Mize all nearing their returns, the Tigers will have to figure out how to fit three arms into their starting rotation. They currently have four healthy starters: Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty, Keider Montero, and Troy Melton. Melton is the most likely candidate to be optioned or moved to the bullpen, but even then, Detroit would have six starters for five spots. Hinch acknowledged this issue without revealing his cards, although he did suggest that a six-man rotation is a possibility: “We’ll work our way through how to slide guys in…but it’s not as simple as just ‘disrupt everything’ and insert three-fifths of a rotation or three-sixths of a rotation if we go to the sixth man” (per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press).
Hazen: Diamondbacks To Seek Bullpen Upgrades On Trade Market
Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen discussed his team’s trade deadline priorities on MLB Network Radio today. The GM confirmed previous reports that he would like to add at least one left-handed bat, explaining: “I probably need a little more thump in the lineup, probably a little more power, probably need to get a little more left-handed.” Entering play today, the D-backs ranked among the league’s bottom three teams in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage against right-handed pitching, while their 85 wRC+ was the worst in MLB. However, the lineup isn’t the only area in which this team could use some help.
Hazen also touched on Arizona’s pitching needs: “I’m sure we’re going to need bullpen, everybody needs bullpen.” The Diamondbacks have managed to avoid working their bullpen too hard over their first 64 games. While their starters rank fifth in the majors with 357 1/3 innings pitched, their relievers rank second-to-last with just 209 1/3 innings on the books. D-backs relievers have combined for a 4.13 ERA and 3.84 SIERA, both around the middle of the pack. Yet, a struggling Brandon Pfaadt and Andrew Hoffman – the two of whom are now at Triple-A Reno – skewed those numbers. Paul Sewald, Juan Morillo, Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, Jonathan Loáisiga, Taylor Clarke, and Brandyn Garcia have thrown 75% of Arizona’s bullpen innings with a collective 2.51 ERA and 3.41 SIERA. Only Sewald, the eldest and most experienced of the group, has an ERA higher than 3.00, and there’s no denying he’s been successful in the closer role this season. The 36-year-old is 15-for-16 in save opportunities, with a 3.47 ERA and 3.58 SIERA.
Nonetheless, Hazen has good reason to want to add to his arm barn. All of the Diamondbacks’ best bullpen arms have their question marks, and none is the type to strike true fear into opposing lineups late in games. The only ones who haven’t struggled with injury and inconsistency are those whose major league careers are just beginning. And while Arizona’s relievers have not been overworked to this point, depth is still going to matter as the season goes on. A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez could help eventually, but the D-backs won’t want to rely too heavily on a pair of arms that have been out for over a year. All of this to say, the Diamondbacks’ bullpen isn’t in a terrible spot, but it has room to improve. If Hazen views his team as a serious contender, he’d be smart to pursue another back-end arm to pitch in high-leverage spots, as well as some depth to fill innings over the next four months.
Indeed, filling innings could soon become much more important. Diamondbacks starters are averaging just under 5 2/3 innings per game. It might be unrealistic to expect them to keep up that pace, especially since Hazen is hoping he won’t need to bring in any outside reinforcements for the rotation. As the GM put it: “Do we need a starting pitcher? At this point, I’m hoping Brandon Pfaadt gets going down in Triple-A to the point where that may not be a spot where we have to expend resources.”
The Diamondbacks can’t count on Corbin Burnes to come to the rescue anymore. The 2021 NL Cy Young winner will most likely be sidelined until September after suffering a teres major strain. As for the healthy arms, Michael Soroka is enjoying an excellent season, but he hasn’t been a full-time starter since 2019. He threw 89 2/3 innings in the majors last year, and he’s on pace to pass that number in the next couple of weeks. Eduardo Rodriguez, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, and Ryne Nelson should be fine to provide innings, but it’s fair to worry about the quality of those innings. Rodriguez has a 2.52 ERA but a 4.57 SIERA. Kelly, Gallen, and Nelson have combined for a 5.17 ERA and 4.83 SIERA. Given their track records of durability, the D-backs can ride all of those arms, but it doesn’t mean they should. The same goes for Pfaadt, who is stretching out as a starter again at Triple-A. With a rotation like that, the benefits of a deeper bullpen are plain to see.
Dodgers Trade Antoine Kelly To Cubs
Today: Both teams have confirmed the trade. The Cubs will send cash considerations to the Dodgers, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
June 6: The Dodgers are trading left-hander Antoine Kelly to the Cubs, according to multiple reports, including from Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Kelly signed a minor league deal with Los Angeles in November.
The 26-year-old Kelly has put together some intriguing minor league seasons, but has yet to earn a crack in the big leagues. He possesses big-time strikeout potential and shaky control. Kelly scuffled to a 5.63 ERA in 34 games with Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate last season.
Kelly latched on with the Dodgers over the winter and received an invitation to Spring Training. The lefty fired 9 2/3 scoreless innings with a 34.2% strikeout rate in the spring. He hasn’t been able to keep up those results at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Kelly has punched out more than a batter per inning, though it’s come with a massive 18.1% walk rate. He’s posted a 5.16 xERA and a 6.38 xFIP with the Comets.
It’s unclear what exactly Chicago parted with to land Kelly, but it’s unlikely to be anything significant. The Cubs will take a flyer on a reliever who could potentially contribute in a bullpen hit hard by injuries. The team’s relievers have held it together with a 3.69 ERA, but a 4.51 xERA suggests they’ve been fortunate.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Angels Place Jack Kochanowicz On 15-Day IL, Recall Sam Aldegheri
The Angels announced that they have placed right-hander Jack Kochanowicz on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Lefty Sam Aldegheri is being recalled from Triple-A in place of Kochanowicz.
Kochanowicz told reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that his elbow has been bothering him in his past three starts. Kochanowicz tried to pitch through it, but he’ll now head to the IL in an attempt to fully recover. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow. Aldegheri is available out of the bullpen for now, per Bollinger, but he could slide into the rotation if needed. Caden Dana and George Klassen are other candidates for that spot.
Kochanowicz is having as good of a season as the Angels overall, which is to say not very good. The 6’7″ righty has covered 64 innings over 13 starts, recording a 6.05 ERA in the process. Kochanowicz has a 5.38 xERA, a 4.98 FIP, and a 5.00 SIERA, suggesting he’s been somewhat unlucky, but still ineffective. Indeed, manager Kurt Suzuki was non-committal about keeping Kochanowicz in the rotation before the IL placement was announced. “[We will] talk about it and see what our options are,” Suzuki told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Fletcher also noted that Kochanowicz was experiencing mechanical issues, which can now be partly attributed to his injury.
The fact that Kochanowicz has held onto his spot for this long speaks to the Angels’ lack of rotation depth behind José Soriano and Reid Detmers. The former has cooled off after a hot start but still has a 2.72 ERA in 76 innings. Detmers has strong peripherals that suggest he’s due for improvement on his 4.26 ERA. Otherwise, rookie Walbert Ureña has a 2.68 ERA and an excellent 51.4% ground ball rate, but also a 4.53 SIERA thanks to a high walk rate. Grayson Rodriguez has allowed 19 earned runs in 18 innings since returning from injury.
Yusei Kikuchi is on the 60-day IL and won’t be back until late July at best, per the club’s official injury report. Dana and Klassen are both on the 40-man roster as depth options, and Dana was a Top-100 prospect last year according to MLB.com. However, neither Dana nor Klassen is performing well at Triple-A this year despite high ground ball rates.
Working in Kochanowicz’s favor are his own high ground ball rate (54.6% in 240 1/3 big league innings), 72nd-percentile fastball velocity, and much improved slider (-6 run value in 2025, +1 this year). Granted, the Angels are not contending and can afford to give the 25-year-old Kochanowicz plenty of leeway. Still, his ground ball rate and decent stuff are intriguing on their own, so it wouldn’t be unrealistic to see Kochanowicz back in the rotation when he returns. The Angels only have four starters at the moment per FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool, so Kochanowicz could reclaim his spot as the fifth starter.
Aldegheri returns to the Majors as a long reliever for now. He’s scattered three big league appearances around three recalls and options this year, with this move being his fourth recall. Aldegheri has a 7.24 ERA in 46 innings over nine starts at Triple-A in 2026. His big league track record consists of an uninspiring 5.26 ERA in 37 2/3 innings from 2024-26. It would not be surprising for Aldegheri to appear in one game then get optioned once again, with one of Dana or Klassen getting a temporary rotation spot with Kochanowicz out.
Photo courtesy of William Liang, Imagn Images
Blue Jays Select Chad Dallas, Outright Tanner Andrews
TODAY: Andrews has cleared waivers, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Toronto has assigned him outright to Triple-A Buffalo. Andrews does not have the requisite service time to reject the assignment, nor has he been previously outrighted. As a result, he will stay in the organization.
June 4: The Blue Jays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Chad Dallas. Fellow righty Hayden Juenger has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, righty Tanner Andrews has been designated for assignment.
Dallas, 26 later this month, was a fourth-round pick of the Jays in 2021. He put himself on the prospect map with a strong 2023, making 23 starts between High-A and Double-A. He logged 123 1/3 innings, allowing 3.65 earned runs per nine. He struck out 27.9% of batters faced, walked 9.5% of opponents and induced grounders on 44.3% of balls in play.
Going into 2024, Baseball America ranked him the #14 prospect in the system. FanGraphs put him 16th. He could have been in line to make his major league debut that year but his health intervened. He struggled at Triple-A around a few stints on the injured list and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery in September. He missed the entire 2025 season. Here in 2026, he has been back on the mound and has logged 36 innings for Triple-A Buffalo with a 4.50 ERA, 24.1% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 41.7% ground ball rate.
In the long term, Dallas might end up as a reliever. His best pitch is his slider while he doesn’t have a great weapon against lefties. For now, he’s still stretched out and the Jays need the innings, as their rotation has been decimated by injuries this year. José Berríos, Cody Ponce and Bowden Francis are done for the season. Dylan Cease, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber and Lazaro Estrada are also on the IL. Jake Bloss is still recovering from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Prospect Ricky Tiedemann is still in the injury wilderness.
Due to all those absences, the Jays have been rolling with a hollowed-out rotation. Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and Patrick Corbin are the three traditional starters. The Jays have also been deploying frequent bullpen games with Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles working as a bulk guy in those. Until recently, they had Cease in the mix as well but his hamstring strain further cut into the group and has necessitated even more depth arms getting into the mix. Austin Voth was called up for an emergency bulk outing last week but was quickly bumped off the roster after.
Left-hander Mason Fluharty is technically starting tonight’s game but Dallas will probably be working bulk innings behind him. Since this is the first time Dallas has been called up to the majors, he has a full slate of options. He will likely be sent back to Buffalo after this. The Jays acquired Simeon Woods Richardson yesterday. He has not yet joined the active roster but could perhaps link up with the team in Toronto tomorrow. The Jays also might get Cease back soon. He is expected to make a rehab start tonight and might only need that one game before being activated next week. They also have Scherzer, Bieber, Estrada and Bloss out on rehab assignments at the moment.
Andrews is a 30-year-old minor league journeyman. He spent time in the farm systems of the Marlins, Giants and Twins before signing a minor league deal with the Jays coming into this year. The Jays added him to the roster when Cease hit the IL. He made two scoreless appearances before being optioned back down to Triple-A Buffalo.
He now heads into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Jays could take five days to explore trade interest, though they could also put him on waivers sooner than that. He posted a 6.02 ERA in the minors from 2023 to 2025 but has a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings this year. That’s thanks to a fortunate .220 batting average on balls in play and 94% strand rate. His 4.26 FIP suggests his results would be less impressive with more neutral luck.
Photo courtesy of Mike Watters, Imagn Images
Giants Release Ryan Borucki
TODAY: The Giants have released Borucki, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. Borucki is now a free agent and free to sign with any club.
May 31: The Giants have designated left-hander Ryan Borucki for assignment and selected the contract of outfielder Jonah Cox from Double-A Richmond, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser. Outfielder Will Brennan has also been optioned to Triple-A, with righty Tristan Beck recalled in his place.
After being cut by the White Sox near the end of Spring Training, Borucki quickly caught on with the Giants on a big league contract. The results haven’t been there for Borucki in his ninth MLB season, as the southpaw has a 4.94 ERA, 14.4% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate across 23 2/3 relief innings. Just when it seemed like Borucki was getting on track after a shaky start to the season, he gave up five earned runs over his last three outings and 5 1/3 innings of work.
As usual, Borucki has drastic splits, as left-handed batters have only a .550 OPS against him this season (while righty batters have a whopping 1.085 OPS). A team in need of southpaw relief help could be inclined to claim Borucki off San Francisco’s waiver wire, but the likelier scenario is that he’ll clear waivers and then be outrighted to Triple-A. Borucki has been outrighted in the past, so he can elect free agency rather than accept that assignment.
The 24-year-old Cox will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in a game, and Cox will get his first taste of the Show before even getting a look at the Triple-A level. It seems like Cox’s superb performance in Richmond couldn’t be ignored, as Cox is hitting .400/.453/.644 with six home runs and 27 steals (in 34 attempts) over 183 Double-A plate appearances.
Cox has never posted anything close to these numbers in his previous three minor league seasons, and he is surely getting a lot of help from an eye-opening .464 BABIP. That said, Cox’s elite speed has helped him generate large BABIPs in the past, and he has drastically cut back on his strikeout rate to 16.9% in Double-A ball.
The bat has been the only question mark about Cox’s game, as his defense and speed were already seen as ready for primetime. Those plus skills alone make Cox a viable bench piece for the Giants and perhaps a platoon partner for Drew Gilbert in center field, even if there’s bound to be a learning curve as Cox makes the big jump from facing Double-A pitching to big league arms. The Giants rank last in baseball in stolen bases, so Cox should provide an immediate boost on the basepaths.
Baseball America ranks Cox 21st on their list of Giants prospects. Cox was a sixth-round pick for the Athletics in the 2023 draft, and he was dealt to San Francisco in the February 2024 trade that sent Ross Stripling to the A’s.
Cardinals Notes: Dobbins, Six-Man Rotation, Urías
Cardinals right-hander Hunter Dobbins will serve as a traditional starter in his next appearance, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Dobbins has worked as a bulk reliever in two appearances since being recalled one week ago. With his move to the rotation, Goold adds that St. Louis will adopt a six-man rotation for the time being.
Dobbins allowed a single earned run in 3 2/3 innings on May 31st. He followed that with five scoreless innings behind Kyle Leahy on Friday, earning the win in that game. Dobbins started 11 of his 13 appearances for the Red Sox last year, in addition to starting all but three of his career appearances in the minors. His long-term future is undoubtedly in the Cardinals’ rotation, so the six-man arrangement will help to ease Dobbins’ workload as a starter after his still-recent right ACL reconstructive surgery.
The change also benefits the Cardinals’ other starters beyond Dobbins. St. Louis has an off day tomorrow, followed by 32 games in 34 days from June 9th until the All-Star break. Cardinals’ starters have been surprisingly healthy in 2026, with Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, and Leahy all making at least 12 starts. That said, major league clubs rarely survive the entire season with just five starters. May, who leads the group with 1.4 fWAR, has an extensive injury history, including a lost 2024 (flexor tendon surgery) and season-ending right elbow neuritis in 2025.
Ideally, using six starters will keep Dobbins, May, and the others healthy during a busy stretch of the schedule. The Cardinals will also be hoping for improved performances from the group. Liberatore has a 4.48 ERA and an expected mark over 5.00, while McGreevy’s 2.98 ERA is nearly three runs below his 5.68 xERA. Leahy is in a similar spot, with an expected figure over 6.50. On the flip side, May has a 4.59 ERA but a 3.36 FIP, so he could be due for regression. Pallante’s 3.96 ERA is decent and right in line with his expected numbers.
It’s unclear from Goold’s report how long the six-man rotation will last. The Cardinals have more frequent off-days in late July and August, so they may only need five starters at that point. In any event, continued health and improved performance out of the rotation will be critical to the team’s playoff hopes. St. Louis is second behind the Brewers in the NL Central, and the Redbirds currently hold the top NL Wild Card spot. The lineup’s 102 wRC+ is middle-of-the-pack, while the rotation and bullpen both rank 20th in the Majors by fWAR. By that measure, the pitching staff is the clear area for improvement.
In other Cardinals news, rehabbing infielder Ramón Urías is now dealing with a left elbow issue, according to Brenden Schaeffer of MLB.com. Urías landed on the 15-day injured list on May 5th with a case of right elbow lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). This new issue is similar to that injury, per Schaeffer, so Urías figures to be out for longer than expected, pending further evaluation in St. Louis.
Urías joined the Cardinals on a modest $2MM deal during spring training. He struggled in a small sample of 68 plate appearances before the right elbow injury, batting .158/.279/.316 with a 74 wRC+. That followed an 87 wRC+ in 391 plate appearances in 2025, which Urías split between the Orioles and Astros. He was average or better at the plate for Baltimore from 2021-24.
When he returns, Urías will factor in as a backup infielder. José Fermín can technically play the infield, but he’s mostly been used in left field this year. Fermín is also out of options. In contrast, Bryan Torres has three options remaining and could be sent down if needed. That would leave Urías as a backup infielder and Fermín and the out-of-options Nelson Velázquez as backup outfielders.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images
Pirates Select Davis Wendzel, Transfer Chris Devenski To 60-Day IL
The Pirates announced that they have selected the contract of infielder Davis Wendzel from Triple-A Indianapolis. Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia is being optioned in Wendzel’s place. To clear space on the 40-man roster, reliever Chris Devenski is being transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Wendzel signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh in December and was a non-roster invite to spring training. In 211 plate appearances at Triple-A this year, he’s batting .246/.360/.491 with nine home runs and a 123 wRC+. That continues a run of decent minor league hitting for Wendzel, as he’s been average or better at Triple-A since 2024. Wendzel’s track record in the Majors is much thinner. He appeared in 27 games for the Rangers in 2024, managing just six hits in 49 plate appearances.
Wendzel typically plays third base or shortstop, though he’s unlikely to get much time at the hot corner. Nick Gonzales has a 115 wRC+ in 238 plate appearances as the Pirates’ main third baseman. Wendzel is more likely to see time at shortstop, if only a little. Jared Triolo is covering for the injured Konnor Griffin at the moment. Triolo has a 57 wRC+ this year that is virtually unplayable, and while he’s a good defender at second and third, he’s been worth -6 Defensive Runs Saved in 588 2/3 career innings at short. At the same time, Wendzel is entirely unproven in the Majors, so his selection is more about giving the Pirates a second backup infielder (Tyler Callihan being more of a utility type) than seriously challenging for playing time.
Devenski’s move to the 60-day IL clears a roster spot for Wendzel and puts Devenski out until early July. The right-hander went on the 15-day IL on May 7th after serving a two-game suspension for intentionally throwing at the Reds’ Sal Stewart a few days earlier. Devenski’s injury was undisclosed at the time, and that remains the case one month later. His transfer to the 60-day IL is backdated to the original placement, so Devenski can return during the July 7-9 home series against the Braves if he is ready.
As for Garcia, he heads down to Triple-A after a roughly three-week stint in the Majors. The 23-year-old got into 13 games since being recalled on May 19th. He batted .200/.243/.229 in 37 plate appearances, which amounts to just a 32 wRC+. Garcia hasn’t played much in the minors this year thanks to a back injury in mid-April, which sidelined him for a month. Still, Garcia is a former Top-100 prospect and ranks No. 4 in the Pirates’ Top-30, according to MLB.com. He’ll get regular work at Triple-A for the time being and will surely get called up again at some point.
Photo courtesy of Reggie Hildred, Imagn Images
Mets Pause Jorge Polanco’s Rehab Due To Ankle Soreness
Jorge Polanco has been on the injured list since mid-April due to a right wrist contusion. He began a rehab assignment at Double-A Binghamton on May 27th and recently moved up to Triple-A Syracuse. However, the Mets announced last night that Polanco’s rehab is being paused due to him experiencing ankle soreness during a running progression. Polanco is being sent for further evaluation.
The new ankle injury continues a frustrating first season in New York for Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40MM contract in December. Polanco only got into 14 games before landing on the IL, batting .179/.246/.286 with a 53 wRC+. He was plagued by left Achilles soreness in that time, which likely contributed to the downturn. Polanco served as the designated hitter in 12 games and played first base in the other two before the wrist injury cropped up. Juan Soto and MJ Melendez have covered DH in the meantime. Mark Vientos has been the primary option at first base.
At this point, it’s hard to tell when Polanco might return from the IL. The Mets will probably proceed with caution in light of Polanco’s renewed ankle issues. There’s also little urgency to bring him back given how badly the team is struggling. New York is in last place in the NL East with a 28-36 record, and they’re already 15.5 games back of the MLB-best Braves. Polanco is probably better than a 53 wRC+ hitter, but even if he were healthy, he alone wouldn’t be enough to overcome the Mets’ offensive woes. An updated timeline on Polanco should be known after the tests are completed.
The Mets’ offense has been one of the league’s worst in 2026, with the group’s 87 wRC+ topping only the Rockies and Padres. Soto is predictably excellent, while Carson Benge, the second-best qualified hitter, has a 97 wRC+ that puts him slightly below average. The other four qualified bats – Brett Baty, Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, and Vientos – are 17-27% worse than average by wRC+. For Mets fans, it’s uninspiring to see Polanco injured while Pete Alonso (who Polanco effectively replaced on the roster) is hitting well in Baltimore. At the end of the day, though, the team’s inability to hit this year goes far beyond Polanco.
The path to respectable hitting will depend on the non-Soto hitters playing up to their true potential. Benge, the club’s No. 3 prospect in 2025 according to MLB.com, will obviously get more time to establish himself in the Majors. Bichette’s batting average, slugging percentage, and wOBA are all at least 50 points behind his expected numbers, so he should improve eventually. Vientos is batting .243 on balls in play, which is well below league average. Baty and Semien are less likely to improve, given the former’s thin offensive track record and the latter’s continued decline in his mid-30s.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images
Cubs Notes: Trade Deadline, Swanson, Wantz
The Cubs are at an even 5-5 since May 27th, though the team is currently tied for third place in the NL Central and 6.5 games back of the Brewers for first place. Since May 16th, which marked the start of a 10-game losing streak, the Cubs’ pitching staff and lineup have both struggled more than usual. Cubs starters are 2-12 in their last 20 games and have a 7.11 ERA that ranks dead last in the Majors. Meanwhile, the hitters are batting .223/.311/.360 with a 93 wRC+ in that span.
In light of those recent struggles, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was asked about the team’s approach to the August 3rd trade deadline. In response, Hoyer told Jesse Rogers of ESPN and others, “We’ll be looking at pitching at that point. [But] sitting here talking about the deadline, given how we’ve played, is the wrong thing to talk about.” Hoyer also called the team’s position player group a key strength while doubling down on the trade deadline being “the furthest thing from my mind.”
The comment around pitching is understandable, as nearly every contender looks to add fresh arms at the deadline. Barring a total collapse, the Cubs can expect to be buyers this year. They’re currently just behind the Padres for the last NL Wild Card spot and have a favorable schedule in June, with 14 games left against the Giants, Rockies, and Mets. FanGraphs gives Chicago a 47.0% chance of making the playoffs right now.
Still, it might be wise for the Cubs’ front office to show greater urgency about making additions. The rotation has struggled this year even beyond the current slide. The group’s 4.81 ERA is tied with the Astros for second-worst in the Majors, with only Rockies’ starters performing worse. While Cubs starters are average or better at getting strikeouts and limiting walks, they’re also allowing hard contact 37.0% of the time, which ranks third-worst. They rank second-worst (ahead of the Athletics) with 1.65 home runs allowed per nine innings.
It’s hard to see much improvement if the club simply stays the course with existing options. Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon are the Cubs’ only qualified starters. Both have ERAs over 4.70 and opponents’ averages on balls in play in the .230 range, suggesting they’ve been lucky to achieve even those results. Edward Cabrera is striking out a career-low 21.5% of hitters and allowing a 91.6 MPH average exit velocity, which ranks in the fifth percentile across MLB. Ben Brown (1.2 fWAR) is the team’s most valuable starter, and he’s only made six starts since transitioning from the bullpen.
The issue isn’t helped by the slate of injuries the Cubs have experienced. Matthew Boyd was worth 3.4 fWAR in 2025 and had strong peripherals in five starts earlier this year. He has missed the last month with a left meniscus injury. Justin Steele has experienced setbacks in recovering from UCL revision surgery and is not expected back until the second half. Cade Horton is out until mid-2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. Given those injuries and the performance of the existing starters, it would behoove the Cubs to be aggressive in adding starters come August 3rd, even if Hoyer is non-committal in the present.
In contrast, the offense is more likely than the pitching staff to improve on its recent performance. Even factoring in the slide, Cubs hitters are tied for sixth-best in the Majors with a 107 wRC+ this year. Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, and Seiya Suzuki are all at least 14% better than average by wRC+. Alex Bregman won’t be a below-average hitter forever, and Nico Hoerner‘s 96 wRC+ is below-average but not terrible, especially considering his value on defense.
Dansby Swanson is the only qualified Cubs hitter who is struggling overall. He is batting just .180/.285/.322 with a 75 wRC+ in 240 plate appearances this year. The 75 wRC+ is well below last year’s 99 mark and would be Swanson’s lowest in a full season since 2018. According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, manager Craig Counsell is planning to temporarily bench Swanson for a few games to help him regroup. Swanson, who entered as the ghost runner in the tenth inning yesterday, will presumably still be available off the bench.
Swanson is known as a streaky hitter, and that’s been the case this year as well. He had an 86 wRC+ through May 15th, but he’s put up a 45 wRC+ since May 16th. Swanson has also been very unlucky. His .207 average on balls in play is well below league average and due for regression. Swanson is striking out less and walking more than last year, while his 89.5 MPH average exit velocity is down from last year but similar to 2024, when he was right around league average. The team will hope that a few days off can get Swanson back on track mentally and help him return to his career norms at the plate.
In minor news, the Cubs have signed righty Andrew Wantz to a minor league contract, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Wantz started the year with the Rays but only threw 1 2/3 innings before being designated for assignment a week ago. His last meaningful big league sample came in 2023, when Wantz had a 3.89 ERA in 39 1/3 innings for the Angels. He’s purely a depth signing and figures to get called up only if there is an injury or a short-term need for a fresh arm.
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