Fantasy News

• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Won't start due to forearm injury

  Rotowire Apr 27, 2024

  Wicks won't make Sunday's scheduled start in Boston due to left forearm tightness, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports. Wicks is coming off his best start of the season, but he seemed to pick up an arm injury either during that outing or in a between-starts throwing session. A stint on the injured list seems likely, but the Cubs could offer more information regarding a potential timetable Sunday. Hayden Wesneski will start Sunday in Wicks' place.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: First quality start of 2024

  Rotowire Apr 23, 2024

  Wicks (1-2) earned the win Tuesday against the Astros, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks over six innings. He struck out four. Wicks got through five innings for the first time all season Tuesday, picking up his first win in the process. However, he set a season low in strikeouts, bringing his K/9 from 12.7 to 11.0, and he surrendered his second long ball of the campaign in the fifth inning to Jake Meyers. Wicks is lined up to close out a two-start week Sunday at Boston.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Strikes out five in short start

  Rotowire Apr 17, 2024

  Wicks allowed two runs on five hits over 4.1 innings and did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. He walked one and struck out five. Wicks pitched well and continued to miss bats at a solid rate, but the Cubs decided to pull him after just 74 pitches. The young lefty logged 126 innings last season across three levels, with only 34.2 of them coming in the majors, so the team is likely just being conservative with his workload in the early going. However, his 24 strikeouts in only 17 innings this year are reason for optimism moving forward. Wicks is penciled in to start again Tuesday against the Astros.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Struggles in loss

  Rotowire Apr 13, 2024

  Wicks (0-2) took the loss Friday, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks over four innings against Seattle. He struck out six. Wicks struggled mightily with his control against the Mariners as his four walks matched the total from his two previous starts combined. The Cubs lefty got only 36.1 percent of his 94 pitches into the strike zone, but that is not unusual for him as his career rate was 34.6 percent entering Friday. Wicks will look to rebound in his next start, scheduled to come against the Diamondbacks on the road.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Gets little run support in loss

  Rotowire Apr 7, 2024

  Wicks (0-1) allowed two runs on six hits across 4.2 innings to take the loss Saturday against the Dodgers. He walked one and struck out seven. Wicks pitched decently against a tough lineup, but the Cubs managed only one run in the 4-1 defeat. The lefty was ineffective with his pitches, needing 100 to retire his 14 batters, which kept him from completing five innings for the second straight start. Wicks does have an impressive 13 strikeouts over 8.2 frames this season, however. He'll carry a 4.15 ERA into his next outing, which is tentatively set for Friday against the Mariners, and aim to pitch a bit deeper into the contest.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Seems likely to make rotation

  Rotowire Mar 17, 2024

  Wicks appears to be the favorite to land the No. 5 spot in the Cubs' rotation to start the year, with Javier Assad shifting to the bullpen, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. Wicks, Assad and Hayden Wesneski have been competing for the last starting spot in camp, with the former doing enough to stand out. The lefty has a strong 2.60 ERA across 17.1 Cactus League innings, and he showed flashes of promise during his MLB debut last season. Wicks may endure some ups and downs as a young starter, though he has interesting fantasy upside as long as he remains in the rotation.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Could begin 2024 at Triple-A

  Rotowire Feb 4, 2024

  Wicks may be slated to start the season with Triple-A Iowa following the offseason addition of Shota Imanaga, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. Bastian notes that Wicks is likely competing with Javier Assad, Drew Smyly and Hayden Wesneski for the fifth rotation spot, with Imanaga, Kyle Hendricks, Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon already locked in. Assad, Smyly and Wesneski all spent time in the team's bullpen last year and could serve in swing roles as needed. For the 24-year-old Wicks to continue developing as a starter, the team may put him in the Triple-A rotation to begin the year, though he should be an option for the majors at some point after showing promise during his MLB debut in 2023.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Cruises to third win

  Rotowire Sep 6, 2023

  Wicks (3-0) allowed two runs on nine hits across 6.2 innings to earn the win Wednesday against the Giants. He had no walks and one strikeout. Wicks was plenty hittable, though he managed to mostly stay out of trouble and keep his record perfect during his rookie campaign. The 23-year-old missed more bats in his previous two starts, striking out 12 over 10 total innings, but the Cubs and fantasy managers should still be happy with Wednesday's results. Wicks figures to stick in the rotation as Chicago fights for a playoff spot, with his next scheduled start set for Monday against the Rockies at the notoriously tricky Coors Field.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Nabs second win

  Rotowire Sep 2, 2023

  Wicks (2-0) picked up the win in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Reds, allowing one run on five hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out three. The southpaw left the game with the score tied 1-1 after tossing 51 of 90 pitches for strikes, but the Cubs took the lead for good in the top of the sixth while Wicks was still the pitcher of record. He's won two straight starts since his late August promotion to the majors, giving up a single run in each while posting a 12:4 K:PBB through 10 innings, and Chicago has every reason to keep running the 2021 first-round pick to the mound as the team tries to secure a playoff spot. Wicks will likely make his next start at home next week against the Giants.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Possible waiver wire pickups

  Rotowire Aug 28, 2023

  More notable pitching prospects than Wicks have debuted this year, but few came close to the stat line he delivered Saturday, allowing one run on two hits with nine strikeouts in five innings. Of his 13 swinging strikes (on just 80 pitches), nine came on the changeup, which was also the most-thrown of his six pitches at 34 percent. The deep arsenal exists mostly just to keep hitters guessing before he puts them away with his one true weapon. "I loved how he mixed," manager David Ross said. "He can just pitch. It just stands out." It's an interesting profile that could yield success in the majors, though notably, Wicks' numbers in the minors this year (a 3.55 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 9.8 K/9) were closer to good than great. Still, in this pitching environment, a debut like this one justifies a pickup.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Starting Saturday

  Rotowire Aug 26, 2023

  Wicks will start Saturday's game against the Pirates, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports. Wicks was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Saturday and was initially expected to make his MLB debut in Sunday's series finale. Instead, the 23-year-old southpaw will swap rotation spots with Javier Assad and make his debut a day early. Wicks logged a 3.82 ERA and 1.18 WHIP through 33 innings across seven Triple-A starts.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Gets call to majors

  Rotowire Aug 26, 2023

  The Cubs called Wicks up from Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. Wicks began the season with Double-A Tennessee and has now completed his ascension to the majors after posting a 3.55 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 91.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. With Drew Smyly returning to a relief role, Wicks will fill the opening in Chicago's rotation and is likely to make his MLB debut Sunday against Pittsburgh.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Resumes starting at Double-A

  Rotowire Sep 12, 2022

  Wicks (arm) slotted back into Double-A Tennessee's rotation Sept. 2 and has struck out eight while scattering two hits and one walk across seven innings in his two starts this month. Wicks was briefly shut down after he was removed from his Aug. 23 start as a precaution due to what was apparently a minor arm injury. Since arriving at Double-A in mid-July, Wicks owns a 4.18 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 35:11 K:BB in 28 innings over his eight starts.

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• Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Exits as precaution

  Rotowire Aug 23, 2022

  Wicks left his most recent start Saturday for Double-A Tennessee after one inning as a precaution, Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports reports. The Cubs are "hopeful he'll be back at some point soon," so there are no guarantees that Wicks will pitch again this season. The 2021 first-round pick has a 4.11 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 87.2 innings.

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