Wesneski will start Sunday in Boston in place of the injured Jordan Wicks (forearm), Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Wesneski went 2.1 innings and threw 20 pitches in a relief appearance Thursday against the Astros. He hasn't started a game since taking the hill April 12 for Triple-A Iowa, so Wesneski may be on a restricted pitch count Sunday and could struggle to hit the five innings he would need to qualify for the win. The Cubs haven't yet indicated that Wicks will need to miss any additional turns beyond Sunday, but if the lefty is forced to the injured list, Wesneski could end up becoming a fixture in the rotation.
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Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Won't start due to forearm injury
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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' Ben Brown: Lasts just 3.2 innings in start
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Brown (0-1) was saddled with the loss Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings against the Red Sox. He struck out four.
Tyler O'Neill clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning to getting the scoring started in what turned out to be a blowout victory for Boston. Brown was pitching on three days' rest after throwing an inning of relief on Tuesday, which surely contributed to him being pulled after 61 pitches. The rookie's usage has been erratic and unusual, but the results had been pretty good prior to this outing. If Brown gets another start -- which wouldn't appear to be guaranteed -- it will likely come either on the road against the Mets or at home versus the Brewers.
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Emerges from fall uninjured
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Morel "is fine" after exiting Saturday's game versus the Red Sox after the seventh inning following a fall in the outfield, CHGO Cubs reports.
Morel toppled over left fielder Alexander Canario after making a running catch and landed hard on the ground, banging up his elbows and right hip. He looked to be in some pain and was removed from the game at that point. However, it sounds like he probably would've remained in if the score hadn't been so lopsided. It's possible the Cubs will hold Morel out Sunday if he's still a bit sore, but it does not appear fantasy managers need to have any real worry about his status.
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Cubs' Justin Steele: Rehab assignment approaching
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Manager Craig Counsell said Saturday that Steele (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Counsell didn't say how many starts the Cubs want Steele to make in the minors, but the 28-year-old southpaw is likely in for multiple rehab outings after sitting out roughly a month due to a strained left hamstring. Assuming his assignment goes smoothly, Steele will likely return to Chicago's rotation toward the middle of May.
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Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Sitting Saturday
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Amaya isn't in the Cubs' lineup Saturday against Boston.
Amaya will take a seat Saturday after going 0-for-8 over his last two contests. Yan Gomes will take over behind the plate and bat eighth.
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Cubs' Keegan Thompson: Continues strong play
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Thompson tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Friday's 7-1 win over the Red Sox. He allowed two hits and a walk, while striking out two.
Thompson has still yet to allow an earned run this season across 9.2 innings out of the bullpen. The righty has tossed multiple innings in four of his five appearances this season, making him an effective long-relief weapon for the Cubs. His fantasy value is capped in the role, but Thompson figures to have some occasional appeal whenever he vultures a win or scoops up a save.
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Cubs' Christopher Morel: Tallies two hits Friday
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Morel went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 7-1 win over the Red Sox.
Morel has been scuffling a bit lately, as he's batting just .176 over his last 10 games with no home runs, and he has just three long balls overall this season across 25 contests. Still, the 24-year-old is a legitimate power threat, and even though he hasn't really gotten going in that department yet, he can heat up in a hurry and hit homers in bunches.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Big effort in win
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Busch went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 7-1 win over the Red Sox.
Busch has been great so far in his first season with the Cubs, as he's slashing .289/.347/.554 with six home runs and 17 RBI across 24 games. The 26-year-old regularly sits against southpaws, but when a righty is on the mound, Busch looks like a strong fantasy asset at the moment. It helps him that the whole Chicago lineup is clicking during the team's 17-9 start, giving Busch plenty of chances to rack up stats.
Imanaga (4-0) earned the win Friday over the Red Sox, allowing one run on five hits and one walk across 6.1 innings. He struck out seven.
It was another strong outing from Imanaga, with Boston's lone run coming on a Tyler O'Neill solo homer in the fourth inning. It's safe to say the 30-year-old southpaw has exceeded expectations thus far -- Imanaga's yet to allow more than two earned runs in a start, and his ERA now sits at a stellar 0.98 with a 0.80 WHIP and 28:3 K:BB across five outings (27.2 innings). He's currently slated for a road matchup with the Mets in his next start.
Assad didn't factor into the decision Thursday, allowing one run on four hits and a walk over 5.2 innings against the Astros. He struck out five.
Although Assad was only at 85 pitches, he was pulled one out before becoming eligible for the quality start after allowing a pair of baserunners. Although Assad has completed six innings only once in five starts, he boasts a 2.00 ERA and a 26:9 K:BB with a 2-0 record. He's tentatively scheduled for a start against the Mets early next week.
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Cubs' Hector Neris: Claims another save
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Neris picked up the save Thursday against Houston, allowing two walks and no hits over a scoreless inning. He didn't log a strikeout.
Neris converted on his third save of the last five days and appears to have a decent hold on the Cubs' closing job, replacing Adbert Alzolay. However, Neris's walk issues persisted Thursday, handing out two free passes to bring his season total to nine in nine innings. His lack of control has been uncharacteristic, as Neris combined for just 48 walks in 141 appearances during his previous two seasons with the Astros.
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Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong: Launches first-career homer
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Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's 3-1 win over the Astros.
Crow-Armstrong went yard in his third at-bat of 2024, tagging Bryan Abreu for a two-run shot in the sixth inning as his first career long ball. One of the top prospects in the Cubs system, Crow-Armstrong failed to collect a hit in 19 plate appearances a season ago and will look to fare better during this MLB stay while Cody Bellinger (ribs) is sidelined.
Straily signed a split contract with the Cubs on Thursday, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.
Straily, 35, spent some time at Triple-A Reno in the Diamondbacks organization in 2022 but aside from that has pitched in the Korea Baseball Organization since 2020. He last appeared in the majors in 2019 with the Orioles. Straily presumably will be assigned to Triple-A Iowa, although he could initially go to extended spring training or a lower affiliate.
