NEW YORK — At this point, the Chicago Cubs might need to look to the stands for healthy bodies to put in their rotation.
The Cubs placed right-handers Ben Brown (neck strain) and Edward Cabrera (left hamstring strain) on the 15-day injured list before Wednesday’s split doubleheader against the New York Mets. It’s a doubly devastating blow for a reeling pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries.
Brown and Cabrera join fellow starters Cade Horton (Tommy John surgery, out for the season), Jameson Taillon (left hamstring strain, likely out until after the All-Star break) and Justin Steele (flexor strain, just starting to play catch) on the IL, with Matthew Boyd (meniscectomy/shoulder soreness) expected to be activated Thursday to start the series finale.
In corresponding moves, the Cubs recalled right-hander Gavin Hollowell, added right-hander Vince Velasquez to the roster and designated right-hander Eduarniel Núñez for assignment to create a 40-man spot for Velasquez. Right-hander Tyler Ferguson is serving as the 27th man for the doubleheader.
As the Cubs deal with mounting pitching injuries, this stretch would be a great time for the offense to get hot again and carry the team. There have been encouraging signs in the last week — beyond Pete Crow-Armstrong’s scorching month — that multiple players are trending the right way at the plate.
Dansby Swanson slugged a three-run homer and a grand slam in the Cubs’ 10-3 win in Game 1 of the doubleheader. That followed a 2-for-3 performance in Tuesday’s 9-6 victory with a two-run homer and four RBIs.
“I’ve truly never been a part of something like this kind of extreme and drastic,” Swanson said of the Cubs’ rotation injuries. “It’s been like, holy catfish, this is pretty crazy. But at the end of the day, no one feels bad for us. The strength of this group can live in the position-player group, and we have so many guys willing to step up.”
Brown had been dealing with a gradually worsening neck since his June 13 start in San Francisco. He could manage it well enough to be OK by the time his start day rolled around, but when he was unable to throw his bullpen Tuesday at Citi Field, the neck required further examination and an IL stint.
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Brown returned to Chicago to see a couple of doctors and figure out what is causing the neck problem. Until the root of the issue is determined, it’s unclear how long he might be out.
Brown missed the final 3½ months of the 2024 season because of an osteoma, a benign bone tumor that grew off another bone to cause radiating pain and discomfort on the left side of his neck. He had to wait for the osteoma to dissipate before he could resume throwing, which took months. The current ailment is located in the same area, so there is some worry it’s related to his previous neck problem.
“It’s probably not as bad as that in Ben’s eyes, but there’s obviously concern,” manager Craig Counsell said.
Losing Brown, 26, is especially devastating because of how well he had pitched since moving into the rotation. He has a 1.85 ERA in 20 games this season — 1.70 in eight starts — with just two home runs allowed in 68 innings.
The Cubs knew Cabrera would be going on the IL by the time Tuesday’s game ended. An MRI showed a moderate left hamstring strain. There’s no timeline for how long he might be sidelined, but the expectation is the 28-year-old will be out several weeks.
Cabrera needed to be carted off the field at the conclusion of the fifth inning Tuesday. He was in significant pain after stretching into a split at first base on a throw from second baseman Nico Hoerner. Cabrera got the out but stayed down and immediately grabbed near his upper left thigh. He tried to get up and walk off the field but managed only a couple of steps before having to return to the ground.
The Cubs currently have only four starters on their roster: Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, Colin Rea and Boyd with his impending return Thursday. They claimed right-hander Bryse Wilson off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday and designated right-hander Christian Roa for assignment. Wilson is out of minor-league options, seemingly putting him in the mix for innings this weekend in Milwaukee.
“We’re going to be piecing it together, and that’s just how it’s going to work,” Counsell said of the rotation. “Getting through this time is the critical part. We do have a couple off days next week that will help us, but this weekend there’s going to be a bit of a challenge in terms of figuring out what we’re going to do.”