Cubs Predicted To Part Ways With Young Pitcher Amid Injury Woes
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Chicago Cubs are loaded with talent, but their starting rotation has lacked a bit. Whether it be by injuries or lack of talent, the Cubs have struggled to consistently put five competitive pitchers in their rotation.
With the trade deadline coming up, it should be expected that the Cubs will look to land an arm or two to replace some of the pitchers on the roster.
FanSided's Zachary Rotman predicted the Cubs would part ways with pitcher Jordan Wicks, seemingly suggesting a demotion to Triple-A, in the coming weeks.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 6: Jordan Wicks #36 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the St Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 6: Jordan Wicks #36 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the St Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Matt Dirksen/"Wicks did pitch well his last time out, and he might make a start or two this month with Jameson Taillon sidelined with an injury, but even with Taillon out, the odds of Wicks remaining in the majors past the trade deadline feel pretty slim," Rotman wrote. "The Cubs needed a starting pitcher even with Taillon healthy.
"Taillon's injury will only add to their urgency to add a starter. They can do so and keep whomever they were going to remove from the rotation, presumably Colin Rea, as a starter until Taillon comes back healthy. This would ensure Wicks, a pitcher who has not established himself as MLB-caliber and one who has options, would get sent down to Triple-A."
Sending Wicks to Triple-A seems like the best move for the Cubs, especially if they add a starting pitcher or two at the trade deadline.
Chicago has been connected to starting pitchers like Sandy Alcántara, Seth Lugo, and Zac Gallen ahead of the deadline. If Chicago lands one of these guys, it's likely Wicks is sent down. If the Cubs happen to land two pitchers, Wicks' time in the Windy City is likely over for the season.
But it's all going to hinge on what the Cubs add in the coming weeks.
More MLB: Cubs Shockingly Predicted To Cut Ties With Surging Veteran Catcher
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton's honest assessment of first game back from injury
The post Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton's honest assessment of first game back from injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. Despite losing their fourth game in a row, this time 1-0 to the visiting Los Angeles Angels, the New York Yankees' focus is already on Tuesday's tilt. Veteran designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton made his season debut after rehabbing injuries in both elbows. Stanton went 2 for 4 with a strikeout in the loss. He discussed the performance candidly with the media postgame, including with SNY's Yankees Videos account on X, formerly Twitter. ''It's good to be out there. Thought I saw the ball pretty well, besides one at-bat. So just working on that, making sure my timing's geared up. Get rolling' – Giancarlo Stanton on his 2025 season debut,' posted the account. Advertisement It was a solid debut for Stanton, and a performance the Yankees will definitely need more of moving forward. At the moment, the team's four-game slide is the worst of the season. The Angels are in town for three more games before back-to-back series against the Baltimore Orioles at home and Cincinnati Reds on the road. New York has played seven games in seven days, and they have nine more games over the next nine days. Can the Bronx Bombers correct course during this pivotal yet long stretch? Can Giancarlo Stanton help Yankees out of current skid? Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Stanton is likely replacing Ben Rice in the lineup the majority of the time. The second year first baseman did an admirable job filling in for Stanton, as he solidified his spot on the roster for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, getting Stanton back deepens the Bombers' lineup for hopefully the foreseeable future. During this stretch, having that depth will be key. Advertisement With veteran Paul Goldschmidt also having a resurgent season in pinstripes, at bats might be a bit scarce at times. Team captain Aaron Judge and the other outfielders usually slot in at DH on their days off if there's a matchup that manager Aaron Boone prefers. Monday's performance is hopefully just the start of another powerful season in the Bronx for Stanton. If that is the case, then don't be surprised to see the Yankees in the thick of yet another postseason race later this season. Related: Aaron Boone highlights Yankees' issue after loss to Angels Related: Yankees fans in shambles after frustrating end to 1-0 loss to Angels
New York Times
18 minutes ago
- New York Times
Sean Manaea eager to re-join Mets after final rehab start: ‘I just felt healthy'
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — With a smile, Sean Manaea said one of the main things he learned while lingering on the injured list all season — and experiencing multiple setbacks along the way — is Manaea After his final rehab outing on Tuesday, he doesn't have to wait much longer. Manaea, sidelined in spring training due to a strained right oblique muscle and then slowed down more recently because of left elbow discomfort, said he is ready to make his season debut in Kansas City on Sunday. Advertisement 'Very much so,' Manaea said. 'I'm just ready to be back and help this team win.' Manaea is expected to enter the game after starter Clay Holmes and work as a piggyback reliever on Sunday. The Mets don't want Holmes, who pitched Tuesday in Baltimore to face a long layoff with the All-Star break upcoming after the series against the Royals. In his final tuneup, Manaea threw 3 2/3 innings (73 pitches). He gave up three runs (courtesy of Rodolfo Castro's three-run home run on a hanging sweeper), four hits and one walk. He recorded four strikeouts. Manaea's four-seam fastball averaged 90.6 mph (last year it averaged 92.2 mph). 'It was good — left the one slider hanging but other than that, I thought I competed pretty well, the pitches were good for the most part,' Manaea said. 'More importantly, I just felt healthy. Overall, it was a big success.' Manaea's outing marked his sixth rehab start. Previously, he reached as high as 62 pitches and 5 1/3 innings while appearing for Syracuse on June 19. But from there, he felt abnormal soreness. A subsequent MRI revealed a loose body, which is typically a small piece of the bone that breaks off the elbow. After a cortisone injection and a short shutdown period, Manaea returned to the mound on July 2, throwing 61 pitches over three innings. Manaea said he feels like he is past the elbow issue (his other setback was due to the oblique issue and it happened in late March). 'After today, I felt good all the way through,' Manaea said. 'Still gotta take care of it, but definitely not worried about it.' For the last handful of weeks, the Mets weathered a cruel storm of pitching injuries. While waiting on Manaea, they dealt with the absences of Kodai Senga (hamstring), Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles) and Paul Blackburn (shoulder). The rash of injuries most recently left their rotation with David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas — who is just three starts into his Mets tenure after a lat injury in spring training cost him significant time — which forced the Mets to rely on spot starters and the bullpen to absorb other innings. At last, however, New York is getting healthier. Advertisement With Manaea in line for a return this weekend along with Senga, who threw a rehab outing Sunday and should start on Friday, the rotation's outlook for the second half suddenly appears sunnier. 'There's no reason we can't do great things,' Manaea said. 'We already are. Just having me and Kodai it's just going to be great as well.' Despite Manaea's absence, the Mets' starters produced a 3.36 ERA, fourth-best in MLB heading into Tuesday's games. But over the last three and a half weeks (since June 13), that ERA figure ballooned to 5.61. A healthy Manaea adds to the rotation's chances of recapturing success. Before posting career bests in ERA (3.47) and innings (181 2/3) last season, Manaea, 33, resembled a league-average pitcher with precisely a 100 ERA+ (generally league average) from 2016 to 2023. But he emerged in the second half of 2024 as a front-line starter. Last summer, Manaea dropped his arm slot to mimic Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale, a fellow lefty. He lowered his walk rate from 10 percent in the first half to 6.8 percent in the second half while increasing his strikeout rate from 24 percent to 26 percent. He finished 11th in the balloting for the National League Cy Young Award. After opting out of his original deal with the Mets, Manaea re-signed last winter for three years, $75 million. The deal, which contains deferrals, represents the largest contract for a pitcher under Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who started his tenure in late 2023. (Top photo of Sean Manaea at a game last October in New York: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Giancarlo Stanton's three-run homer (2)
Carlos Mendoza on frustrations with the umpires 'the whole game' after Mets loss to Yankees Following the Mets' 6-4 loss to the Yankees, Carlos Mendoza spoke about his frustrations with the umpires, Starling Marte's knee flaring up in the ninth inning, and taking two of three from the Yankees.
