Tauchman went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Mets.
Tauchman had half of Chicago's hits in the sluggish loss, pushing his season average up to .307 in the process. With Seiya Suzuki (oblique) and Cody Bellinger (ribs) both on the injured list, Tauchman has seen plenty of playing time recently, and the veteran has responded. He should remain a solid short-term fantasy asset, though his long-term outlook is a bit murkier, as it depends on how quickly the other outfielders are able to return to the lineup.
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Cubs' Adbert Alzolay: Takes loss Tuesday
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Alzolay (1-3) allowed three unearned runs on two hits across an inning of work to take the loss Tuesday against the Mets.
Alzolay should have had a 1-2-3 sixth inning, but a Dansby Swanson throwing error gave the Mets life, and they took advantage. A single and a three-run home run by DJ Stewart quickly broke open a 1-1 tie, and New York hung on for the 4-2 win, which saddled Alzolay with his third loss of the season. While it wasn't all his fault Tuesday, it's been a struggle overall for the righty, as he blew four saves in the early going to get yanked from the closer's role. Hector Neris stepped in to replace Alzolay, and it doesn't look like things are going to change anytime soon.
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Cubs' Christopher Morel: Nabs second steal
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Morel went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Mets.
The steal was his second of the season, and both pilfers have come in his last eight contests. Morel is struggling to get going with his bat however, and through 29 games he's slashing a meager .215/.292/.374 with four homers, 14 RBI and 17 runs.
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Cubs' Javier Assad: Stingy in no-decision Tuesday
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Assad came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Mets, allowing one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out one without walking a batter.
The 26-year-old righty didn't allow much hard contact, as all five hits off him were singles, and Assad tossed 55 of 78 pitches for strikes before leaving the mound with the score tied 1-1. He's had an impressive start to his campaign, and Assad will take a 1.97 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 27:9 K:BB through 32 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come at home this weekend against the Brewers.
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Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong: Absent from lineup versus lefty
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Crow-Armstrong is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.
This is the first lefty the Cubs have faced since Crow-Armstrong was promoted, and he will begin the game on the bench. Mike Tauchman is in center field for Chicago.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Out against left-hander
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Busch is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Mets.
Southpaw Sean Manaea is on the hill for the Mets, so the left-handed hitting Busch will take a seat. Patrick Wisdom will occupy first base for the Cubs on Tuesday.
Horton has been promoted from Double-A Tennessee to Triple-A Iowa, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.
Horton threw only 16.1 frames across four starts with Tennessee but was dominant in those innings, posting a 1.10 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB. The top prospect is coming off a 2023 campaign which saw him collect a 2.65 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 117:27 K:BB over 88.1 innings. Horton is likely to push to debut for the Cubs in 2024.
Taillon didn't factor into the decision Monday, allowing one run on four hits and a walk over 7.1 innings. He struck out one.
Taillon was able to complete six innings for the first time this season and managed to exceed seven innings in just 78 pitches. Taillon's lone blemish came from the first batter he faced as Brandon Nimmo clubbed a solo home run in the first frame. The veteran righty has yet to yield multiple earned runs through three starts, owning an impressive 1.50 ERA. However, he's only been able to punch out nine batters in his 18.0 innings of work. Taillon is set to close out a two-start week with a matchup against the Brewers on Saturday.
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Cubs' Mark Leiter: Records first win
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Leiter (1-1) retired the only two batters he faced out of the bullpen to earn the win in Monday's 3-1 victory over the Mets.
Starter Jameson Taillon was excellent over 7.1 innings, but the Cubs turned to Leiter to get the last two outs of the eighth. The veteran righty delivered, then scooped up his first win of the year when Christopher Morel hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth. Leiter has been excellent all year, posting a 0.69 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 13 innings. He should continue to work in a setup role ahead of new closer Hector Neris, though he could be next up for saves if Neris falters.
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Cubs' Christopher Morel: Hits go-ahead home run
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Morel went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 3-1 win over the Mets.
Morel was hitless until the ninth inning, when he delivered a two-out home run with a runner on against New York closer Edwin Diaz to break open a 1-1 tie. The key blast was Morel's fourth of the season and first since April 9. He's not off to as fast of a start as he had last year, but the 24-year-old can heat up in a hurry, and perhaps this effort will provide the spark.
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Cubs' Hector Neris: Secures fourth save
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Neris worked around two walks to pitch a clean ninth inning and record the save in Monday's 3-1 win over the Mets. He struck out two.
Neris put a few runners on base, but he got out of trouble to secure his fourth save of the season. All of those saves have come in the last nine days, which coincides with Adbert Alzolay getting removed from the closer's role. The more success Neris has moving forward, the firmer his grip will get on the job, which will only increase his fantasy value. The veteran is the top Chicago reliever to target at the moment.
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Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Not close to rehab assignment
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday that Suzuki (oblique) upped the intensity of his baseball activities Saturday and Sunday but is not close to beginning a rehab assignment, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Suzuki is getting a recovery day Monday before resuming baseball activities Tuesday and Wednesday. While he would appear to be progressing slowly but surely, he still has some hoops to jump through before he's ready to go out on a rehab assignment. Suzuki has missed the last two weeks of action with a right oblique strain.
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Cubs' Justin Steele: Could need just one rehab start
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday that it's possible Steele (hamstring) rejoins the rotation after his rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The left-hander's rehab start Wednesday will be his first outing since he suffered a left hamstring strain back on Opening Day. As long as Steele gets his pitch count up to a high enough threshold and recovers well from the start, it sounds like he could be back with the Cubs early next week.
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Cubs' Kyle Hendricks: Could start rehab assignment soon
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday that they are targeting a rehab start for Hendricks (back) "later this week," Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Hendricks posted a 12.00 ERA and 2.10 WHIP over five starts this season before landing on the 15-day IL on April 23 due to a lower-back strain. He had a bullpen session during the Cubs' weekend series against the Red Sox, and the right-hander could be on track to start his rehab assignment this week.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Picks up another start
Rotowire
Brown is scheduled to start Thursday's game versus the Mets at Citi Field.
After making two consecutive appearances out of the bullpen, Brown moved back into the rotation over the weekend following Kyle Hendricks (back) move to the 15-day injured list. Brown ended up taking a loss in his start Saturday versus the Red Sox, striking out four over 3.2 innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits and zero walks. Despite the lackluster outing, Brown will get at least one more turn through the rotation while the Cubs wait for both Hendricks and Jordan Wicks (forearm) to make their returns from the IL.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Pitches well in no-decision
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Wesneski did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk while striking out three in four innings.
All five hits Wesneski gave up went for singles. The Red Sox quickly got one in the first inning, though it was unearned after an error extended the frame. Wesneski later surrendered a second run in the third after Rafael Devers led off with a single and eventually found his way home. Wesneski has now gone four innings in two of his three appearances this season, though Sunday was his first as a starter, and his 63 pitches were the most he's thrown since Oct. 3, 2022. With Jordan Wicks (forearm) going on the IL, Wesneski will have an opportunity to stick in the rotation for the foreseeable future, and lines up for a home start against the Brewers his next time out.
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Cubs' Mike Tauchman: Provides clutch three-run homer
Rotowire
Tauchman went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox.
Tauchman instilled some life in the Cubs, as he was able to tie the game up with a three-run homer in the eighth off of Chris Martin. The 33-year-old has been the Cubs' best hitter over the last week and a half, slashing .400/.500/.743 with three homers, nine RBI, eight runs and a 6:8 BB:K over 11 games since April 17. The Cubs will have a crowded outfield once they get the likes of Cody Bellinger (ribs) and Seiya Suzuki (oblique) back from their respective injuries, but for now Tauchman is seizing his opportunity as an everyday player.
