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July 22: RHP Julian Merryweather activated from 60-day injured list; RHP Hunter Bigge optioned to Triple-A Iowa; LHP Luke Little transferred to 60-day IL
After three-plus months of recovery and rehab, Merryweather came off the IL on Monday and rejoined the Cubs’ bullpen. The right-hander landed on the shelf on April 7 due to a rib stress fracture in his back, removing one of Chicago’s top setup men from the fold.

“It’s great to get him back,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s been a long time, for sure. Mid-April -- we’ve missed him since. Happy to have him back and he’s ready to go and excited to get going. We’ll get him in there.”

Merryweather, 32, had a 1.93 ERA in his four appearances (4 2/3 innings) out of the gates this season. Last year, the righty had a 3.38 ERA with 98 strikeouts and 36 walks in 72 innings (69 games) as one of the Cubs’ trusted late-inning options.

Bigge (2.70 ERA with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings across four outings for Chicago) returns to the I-Cubs to open a spot on the active roster for Merryweather. Little, who Counsell noted on Saturday was likely out for the season due to a left shoulder/lat injury, was moved to the 60-day IL to add Merryweather to the 40-man roster.

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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

OF Cody Bellinger (fractured left middle finger)
Expected return: Late July/August
Bellinger took on-field batting practice on July 23 and “had a really good workout” at Wrigley Field, per manager Craig Counsell. The hitting part of Bellinger’s rehab has gone well, but the outfielder’s throwing progression has gone slower. Counsell said the Cubs could “absolutely” consider bringing Bellinger back as a designated hitter before he was back at full strength on the throwing front.

Bellinger resumed hitting activities in the cage over the July 19-21 weekend. He was hit on the left hand by a pitch on July 10. Imaging revealed a non-displaced fracture of his middle finger, necessitating a move to the 10-day IL on July 11. (Last updated: July 23)

RHP Keegan Thompson (right rib fracture)
Expected return: August
Thompson was scheduled to throw live batting practice at the Cubs’ complex in Arizona on July 23, per the team. The right-hander did a light bullpen session on July 20. Thompson was placed on the IL on June 28 (retroactive to June 27) after sustaining a rib fracture in his right side.

Thompson, 29, has posted a 3.50 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 10 walks in 18 innings (13 appearances) this season for the Cubs. The timetable for his return is unclear at the moment. (Last updated: July 23)

RHP Ben Brown (neck strain)
Expected return: August
Manager Craig Counsell said Brown did a light “touch and feel” bullpen session on July 19 and “will continue to progress from there.” Brown resumed a throwing program on June 18 after follow-up testing on his neck revealed a “benign area of concern,” Counsell noted on June 19. Brown has thrown steadily over the past month with varying degrees of symptoms.

Brown and the ballclub sought multiple opinions on the pitcher’s neck injury, which was initially believed to be a stress reaction. Counsell said that team doctors were “not concerned” after further examining the images taken of Brown. The rookie righty, who is 1-3 this season with a 3.58 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings, was placed on the IL on June 11. (Last updated: July 22)

RHP Hayden Wesneski (right forearm strain)
Expected return: August
Wesneski was pulled after 1 1/3 innings on July 19 against Arizona due to discomfort in his arm and imaging revealed a forearm strain. He was placed on the IL on July 20, but manager Craig Counsell said the Cubs are "not overly concerned." The hope is that Wesneski can resume a throwing program after roughly a week of rest and recovery.

In 25 games (seven starts) this season, the 26-year-old Wesneski has logged a 3.94 ERA in 61 2/3 innings for the Cubs. (Last updated: July 20)

60-DAY IL

RHP Caleb Kilian (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: July/August
Kilian was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Iowa on July 23, per the Cubs. The righty threw 23 pitches (18 strikes) in a scoreless two-inning appearance with Iowa on July 20, allowing one hit and striking out one batter. He began his Minor League rehab assignment on July 2.

Kilian left his March 5 start against the Royals in the third inning before an MRI exam revealed a strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder. Last season, the 27-year-old pitcher made three appearances for the Cubs and went 8-3 with a 4.56 ERA in 120 1/3 innings with Iowa. He was placed on the 60-day IL on March 28. (Last updated: July 23)

RHP Adbert Alzolay (right flexor strain)
Expected return: Late July/early August
Alzolay was scheduled to make a rehab appearance with the Cubs’ Arizona Complex League affiliate on July 23, per the team. The righty struck out all three batters he faced in an ACL outing on July 19. Alzolay has been rehabbing at the team’s Arizona facility since May 26.

Alzolay, whose right flexor strain is similar to an issue the reliever dealt with last September, was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 2. Alzolay was placed on the 15-day IL on May 13 with the injury, which flared during his outing on May 12. In 18 games this season, Alzolay has a 4.67 ERA with 13 strikeouts, six walks and six homers allowed in 17 1/3 innings. (Last updated: July 23)

LHP Luke Little (left shoulder strain)
Expected return: 2025
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on July 20 that the current expectation is that Little will miss the remainder of the 2024 season due to his left shoulder/lat injury. The lefty landed on the 15-day IL on July 13 -- one day after exiting his outing against the Cardinals after just four pitches. He was moved to the 60-day IL on July 22.

“I think Luke had gotten to a point where there was a real role for him on this team,” Counsell said on July 20. “I think there was development that happened this year and I think he was really trending in a good direction. Unfortunately, that’s probably going to have to stop now and wait until next year.”

Little posted a 3.46 ERA in 30 games overall this season, but had a 1.59 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 17 innings and a .127 opponents’ average in the 20 appearances prior to the IL stint. (Last updated: July 22)

LHP Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain)
Expected return: August
Wicks is currently in Arizona and his recovery process is “going a little slow,” manager Craig Counsell noted on July 11. The lefty is playing catch, but his comeback could linger beyond late July and into August. On July 19, Wicks was transferred to the 60-day IL in a procedural move by the ballclub.

The lefty exited his start against the Cardinals on June 14 after 1 2/3 innings due to the oblique issue. The Cubs placed him on the injured list on June 15 after he underwent further testing, which revealed a Grade 2 strain, according to Counsell. Wicks’ start against St. Louis was his first since April 23 and his second appearance after returning from the 15-day IL on June 7 after dealing with a left forearm strain. (Last updated: July 19)

RHP Yency Almonte (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: 2025
Almonte underwent a successful labral repair surgery, per the Cubs.

The righty had been attempting to come back from the injury for two months after landing on the injured list on May 11, retroactive to May 8, before opting for the surgery.

“I got news that I didn't want to get,” said Almonte, who was acquired from the Dodgers in January. “It's upsetting. I came here with a positive mindset from the trade, ready to go dominate. And I feel like I started off pretty well and just was in a good place mentally.”

Almonte faced hitters in a live batting practice session on June 18 with High-A South Bend and was “not symptom free” during that workout, leading to the second opinion. The pitcher said he is dealing with a minor tear of his labrum. Almonte posted a 3.45 ERA over 17 appearances for Chicago. (Last updated: July 12)

RHP Colten Brewer (fractured left hand)
Expected return: TBD
Brewer, 31, punched a wall in the Cubs’ dugout after his outing against the Angels on July 6 and sustained a fractured left hand. He was placed on the 60-day IL as a result on July 7. The righty has logged a 5.66 ERA in 20 2/3 innings this season, striking out 22 and walking nine. He had a 3.45 ERA in his first 11 outings for the Cubs, but has slumped to the tune of a 12.60 ERA in his past five appearances, culminating in the July 6 setback.

“Colten, after he came out of the game, made a mistake, clearly out of frustration,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on July 7. “It’s something that he regrets, clearly. It’s something you don’t want to have happen. It’s unfortunate, and now the consequence is you’re going to find yourself with a broken hand and on the injured list for quite a while.” (Last updated: July 7)

7-DAY MINOR LEAGUE INJURED LIST

RHP Cade Horton (right lat strain)
Expected return: July
Horton is in the early stages of a throwing program in Arizona, Cubs assistant general manager Jared Banner said on July 10. The 22-year-old Horton (MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 Cubs prospect and the No. 17 prospect on the Top 100 list) was diagnosed with a right lat strain on June 4 and was shut down from throwing for roughly a month.

Horton, who was Chicago’s first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in the 2022 Draft, exited his May 29 start for Triple-A Iowa after logging 20 pitches in one inning (two runs allowed) against Louisville. The righty has posted a 7.50 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks in 18 innings (five starts) for Iowa, following a four-start stint (1.10 ERA with 18 strikeouts and two walks in 16 1/3 innings) with Double-A Tennessee to begin the season. (Last updated: July 10)

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