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Things That Actually Went Great in Gut-Wrenching May for the Chicago Cubs

By
Aldo Soto
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Jacob Webb Cubs Contract

So, that sucked, huh? The Chicago Cubs closed out May with a 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night baseball, wrapping up a 13-16 record for the month. On the surface, three games below .500 over a 29-game stretch isn’t the worst thing in the world, but considering the Cubs ended May by going 5-16, including both awful starting pitching and horrendous hitting, then you do feel like it was awful.

With that being said, there were some things that actually went great for the Cubs despite the gut-wrenching month of May. So, let’s take a look at the positive developments from the past month.

Ben Brown Has Arrived

Ben Brown looked dominant at times coming up through the Cubs’ minor league system, as he paired a power fastball with a devastating curveball. He had a solid rookie season, but a benign bone tumor derailed his 2024 campaign. Still, the Cubs had high hopes for Brown, who was in the starting rotation through late June of 2025.

Now, a year later, Brown has returned to the starting rotation, and he hasn’t just been a quality depth option, he has legitimately turned into the team’s best starting pitcher after May.

He was inserted into the rotation following the knee injury to Matthew Boyd in early May, and while he was eased in as he built up his pitch count, Brown has quickly become a real difference-maker for the Cubs.

Brown was getting big outs out of the bullpen to begin the regular season, and now he’s locking down a spot in the starting rotation.

Michael Busch is Back

The first baseman was the team’s top hitter in 2025, and he had high expectations after the team let Kyle Tucker walk in the offseason. It was a brutal first couple of weeks for Michael Busch, who had a .454 OPS through April 19. Since then, Busch has homered six times, four of which came in May.

The left-handed batter ended the month with a 173 wRC+, sixth best in MLB. He slashed .300/.446/.510, which were the best numbers among all first basemen in the National League.

Busch was moved off the leadoff spot in the middle of April, and whether it was a mental thing or not, moving out of that spot has resulted in much better numbers, essentially returning to his 2025 form.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Is Hitting

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s emergence goes back to April 14, as the center fielder has posted a 129 wRC+ over his last 44 games. In May alone, Crow-Armstrong hit four home runs, five doubles, and a triple, while recording a .344 OBP.

They’re not league-leading numbers, but Crow-Armstrong has quietly made giant strides in his hitting profile.

From season-to-season, Crow-Armstrong has increased his hard-hit rate and the results are matching the data.

So, after starting the year with a slash line of .203/.239/.266 in 68 plate appearances, Crow-Armstrong is up to .237/.325/.388, a 105 wRC+ that, when combined with the best defense in center field, has him at a 2.4 fWAR in 60 games.

Jacob Webb Is A High-Leverage Reliever

This dude was public enemy number one among the fan base early in the year, but Jacob Webb has not only gotten better, he might be Craig Counsell’s most trusted reliever at this point.

Webb allowed at least one run to score in nearly half of his appearances through April. Since then, Webb has only given up one earned run in 14 innings, while recording a two-inning save, three holds, and earning a win out of the bullpen in 12 appearances.

He’s looked great, as the 0.64 ERA in May is backed up by a 19/3 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 48.4 ground ball rate.

The Cubs have been dealt a cruel hand with pitching injuries this season, and the bullpen has been in shambles since early April. Webb’s success has been a welcome surprise.

Two Pitchers Control the Fate of the 2026 Chicago Cubs

By
Aldo Soto
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Jul 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) throws the ball against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Looking back, the month of May wasn’t as brutal as it felt, but going 13-16 after winning the first eight games certainly made it feel like a never-ending hellhole for the Chicago Cubs. They haven’t won a series since sweeping the Cincinnati Reds, the offense disappeared for three weeks, but the biggest concern moving forward is by far the starting rotation.

Two more pitchers landed on the injured list, as Matthew Boyd suffered a freak accident playing with his kids that resulted in knee surgery. He last pitched on May 3, a quality start in an 8-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Meanwhile, Edward Cabrera has been sidelined since he exited in the fourth inning of his last start on May 20 against the Milwaukee Brewers because of a blister issue.

The good news is that Cabrera’s blister on his middle right finger has seemingly been resolved, and he’s expected to return to the starting rotation this weekend, when the Cubs host the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. The team is certainly hoping that Cabrera’s recent downward trend in stuff and velocity was because of the blister.

As for Boyd, he made a rehab start with the Iowa Cubs on Sunday, and after throwing 63 pitches, he’s back in Chicago. The team initially said that Boyd would throw a pair of rehab games before returning from the injured list, but it’s unclear now if Boyd will come back even sooner.

Cade Horton is out for the season, Jameson Taillon is flat-out bad now, and Shōta Imanaga has lost his magic, meaning the rotation is in dire need of Cabrera and Boyd to not just return and stay healthy, but they have to be good in order for the Cubs to succeed.

At 32-28, the Cubs are tied for third place in the NL Central, five games back of the Brewers. Chicago is also tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Diamondbacks for the third Wild Card spot entering June.

I know much of the angst surrounding the team’s recent woes has been focused on the offense, but the starting pitching was horrid in May. But again, that’s why Cabrera and Boyd are key to turning things around.

The Cubs have already used up all their starting pitching depth, and their latest desperate attempt to fill in was Jordan Wicks, who failed miserably. The 2021 first-round pick gave up eight runs in his first start against the Pirates, and then immediately surrendered two runs in the first inning on Sunday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ben Brown has made a complete 180 since last year, so at the very least, the injuries to the pitching staff gave him a shot to prove himself as a starter. Brown looks like a brand new pitcher on the mound in 2026, but the Cubs are going to need more.

It’s tough losing your ace as the Cubs did in early April, but the rotation held on. However, as the injuries stacked up in the rotation, the numbers took a steep decline. The Cubs ended the month of May with a 5.33 ERA from their starting rotation, which ranked 28th in MLB. They had only eight quality starts in 29 games.

It doesn’t matter if the offense gets back to a groove; no team can win with that level of incompetence from its starting pitchers.

Fortunately, the schedule does become easier for the Cubs in June.

3 vs. Athletics
6 vs. Giants
6 vs. Rockies
3 vs. Blue Jays
4 vs. Mets

Those first 22 games in June lead up to a three-game series in Milwaukee.

The Cubs have little room for margin now after their awful month of May. Yes, the pitching injuries sucked, but those guys are coming back soon. When they do, Cabrera and Boyd will determine just how good this team can be. They’ll have about eight weeks before the trade deadline to convince the front office to actually add more help. If not, it’s going to be a frustrating summer for the Cubs if the rotation does not stabilize.

The Chicago White Sox Found A Hidden Gem In Tristan Peters

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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May 31, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox center fielder Tristan Peters (29) runs after hitting an RBI-single against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Entering the season, there were questions about whether Tristan Peters would even make the Chicago White Sox Opening Day roster. Two months later, he has emerged as one of the club’s most valuable unsung contributors.

They say defense wins championships, and after trading away Gold Glove-caliber center fielder Luis Robert Jr., it was fair to wonder whether the White Sox outfield defense would take a significant step backward. Adding insult to injury, Everson Pereira, who was tabbed to be the team’s primary center fielder, has been sidelined since April 28 after suffering a right pectoral strain on an awkward swing.

But through 59 games, Peters has quietly emerged as one of the American League’s most productive center fielders. Much of that value starts with his defense.

His 1.4 WAR ranks fourth among AL center fielders and is tied for fifth among all MLB rookies. It all starts with his speed. Advanced metrics grade Peters as one of the fastest players in Major League Baseball, and that athleticism has translated into elite range in the outfield.

Peters has accumulated five Outs Above Average this season, including four in center field, placing him in the 95th percentile across MLB. His ability to cover ground has helped stabilize a position that many expected to be a weakness entering the season. 

But the beauty of Peters’ game is that he can play all three outfield spots effectively, making him one of the White Sox most useful defensive pieces late in games. Even without playing every day, Peters has racked up 119 putouts in 56 games. That has helped him post a 2.82 range factor, a metric that measures how many defensive plays a player makes relative to his opportunities, ranking fourth among American League outfielders.

But Peters’ glove isn’t the only thing that makes him valuable. He is also putting together productive at-bats. When Chris Getz added Peters from the Rays for cash considerations, he only had four MLB games under his belt and was  0-for-12 for his career. 

However, his numbers in Triple-A helped pique the White Sox interest. He was named the International League Player of the Month in June and finished the season slashing .266/.355/.429 with 15 home runs and 76 RBIs last season.

While that power has yet to fully translate to the major leagues, Peters has found other ways to contribute offensively. Despite ranking near the bottom of MLB in hard-hit rate, he has posted a respectable .289/.353/.408 slash line by consistently putting the ball in play and leveraging his speed.

Much of that success can be traced to his ability to bunt. Peters ranks third in the American League in sacrifice hits, but his bunting prowess extends beyond simply moving runners. He has also turned several well-placed bunts into infield singles.  Of his 41 hits on the season, only 12 have gone for extra bases, including a triple and a pair of homers. 

Beyond the overall production, his biggest offensive contributions have come in clutch situations. He delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning against the Blue Jays on Opening Day, crushed a three-run homer against the Cubs for his first career MLB home run, and drove in the go-ahead run in Sunday’s victory over the Tigers with a seventh-inning RBI single.

Is Peters going to make an All-Star team anytime soon? Probably not. But he is exactly the type of player this White Sox team needs. He plays outstanding defense, moves runners when asked, takes the extra base, and consistently does the little things that help teams win games.

For a player acquired for cash considerations, Peters has provided tremendous value. For that, Chris Getz deserves a ton of credit. It’s not every day that a general manager makes a trade with the Rays and comes out on the right side of it.

What makes Peters’ emergence even more compelling is the unconventional path he took to the major leagues. Five years ago, he was dancing in a kilt. Today, he’s helping anchor one of baseball’s most surprising teams.

While playing at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona in 2019, Peters was recruited by an opposing manager to join the Savannah Bananas, the baseball entertainment phenomenon that now fills ballparks across the country.

Peters arrived before the full explosion of Banana Ball, but he was part of the organization’s formative years. At the time, the Bananas still competed primarily as a collegiate summer team, though many of the elements that would later make them famous were already taking shape. Between at-bats, players participated in choreographed dances, skits, and other crowd-pleasing antics. Now his crowd-pleasing antics have gone from dancing to making diving catches in center field.

How Kevin Warren Apparently Sabotaged The Bears Stadium Bill From The Start

By
Erik Lambert
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kevin warren
Bears team president Kevin Warren discusses the ongoing stadium saga and where things stand.

The fight is over. After years of pushing the PILOT (megaprojects) bill in the Illinois state legislature, the Chicago Bears watched it go down in flames, unable to get the necessary vote in the Senate for passage. A last-second attempt by officials to put forward a new bill that would give the team a loophole to still build in Illinois did pass the Senate, but wasn’t voted on by the House before the legislature adjourned for the summer. All of that work appears to have been for nothing, and Kevin Warren stands at the center of it.

More and more evidence has surfaced about how incredibly the Bears’ team president has mismanaged the process. He failed to stay on task with Arlington Heights, attempting to pivot to a downtown complex that never had a prayer. His push for infrastructure support came without a traffic study that would’ve clarified where the money would go. That doesn’t include his frequent public announcements that seem to do more harm than good in negotiations.

Would you be shocked to learn it gets worse? Paris Schutz of NBC Chicago covered the situation in Springfield and uncovered some ugly details. He explained them to 104.3 The Score.

Kevin Warren hired lobbyists to help push the bill. Then ignored their advice.

One of the things a source told me was that typically when you want something big to happen, you hire some lobbyists that have these relationships with lawmakers. Again, it might be an unseemly process. We might hate it, but this is the reality. And what they do is they go build a coalition. They go meet with individual lawmakers. They go do what they ever have to do to get the votes.

And what I’m told is the Bears didn’t do that. They didn’t meet with individual lawmakers. They had this high-level 500-foot strategy where we just need to talk to the important players here, and they’re going to get the lawmakers on board. Well, it turns out these important players in the legislature did not have that much muscle to get their members to back the Bears. They do on other things, but again, the Bears by themselves weren’t enough to get people to just say, ‘ Yeah, sure, I’m going to vote for them.’…

…So it was up to the Bears to to build that coalition and I’m told over and over again that’s just not what happened. They kept it to the governor’s office, the legislative leader’s office. I mean, two years ago, it was the mayor’s office, and that didn’t work because the mayor didn’t have that much power to get stuff done.

This is not like the days of Daly. So I’m just telling you, I’m relaying you what I heard that lawmakers are puzzled that this was the strategy. And it wasn’t more because let me tell you this. They hired a bunch of lobbyists that know their way about Springfield. And I was told over and over again that Kevin Warren didn’t listen to them.

Warren once again shows he’s a fraud.

Lots of people keep defending him, saying he was thrown into a situation he didn’t create. Maybe so, but he’s had more than three years to clean things up. Instead, he’s muddied the waters even further. For all this bombast he puts out about dreaming big, the guy is truly all talk. Nothing about how he’s operated as Bears president suggests he has a clue what he is doing. Forgetting the traffic study was bad enough. Hiring a bunch of people to advise you on how to negotiate with the always fractious Illinois government and then ignoring them is peak stupidity.

That should tell you how big of an ego Kevin Warren has. He operates like many of your classic politicians. He knows what is best. Your advice is appreciated, but it’s still his decision. It makes you wonder how many times a guy must be humiliated before he realizes he might be doing things wrong. Warren is not a leader. Leaders listen to the smart people around them before making an informed decision. Warren is what we call a “pretender.” Somebody who acts like a boss but shows zero actual leadership skills.

The Bears have to see reason at this point.

This man was supposed to be the expert. He’d helped Minnesota close the deal on U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, right? Day after day, it becomes apparent that Warren took the Bears’ money and title for prestige, with no concrete plan or even an idea of how he’d get this stadium thing done. Just because Ted Phillips went off half-cocked when he bid on the Arlington Park property doesn’t excuse this fiasco. Warren had plenty of time and resources to clean things up. He hasn’t done that.

George McCaskey is a patient boss. He wants to believe the people he hires can get things figured out. The problem is that such patience isn’t rewarded more often than not. Warren has done nothing since his arrival to justify the money they keep paying him. Meanwhile, he’s taking credit for things he never really had much say in. The madness needs to end. McCaskey must accept that he messed up the hire and bring an actual adult into the room.

The Chicago Cubs Have A New Ace

By
Aldo Soto
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That start is what an ace does. Come right back from a game that should have been won, shut down the opposing team, go deep, and win. As bad as the pitching injuries have been for the 2026 Chicago Cubs, Ben Brown’s emergence as a starting pitcher has been a fantastic development for the team, one that will pay off in a big way this season and beyond.

Brown pitched seven innings in the Cubs’ 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night. The right-hander gave up one run on three hits, striking out six, and walking one. He was once again efficient, only needing 82 pitches to get through seven innings of work, lowering his season ERA to 1.92 in 51.2 innings.

He set the tone early, retiring the side in order for a perfect three innings to begin the game. A leadoff single in the fourth, followed by a groundout and a single, resulted in the lone blemish in Brown’s fifth start of the year.

The Cubs tied the game in the next inning and took a 3-1 lead in the sixth. Brown shut down the Cardinals, getting some help from a double play started by Alex Bregman, and then a quick, seven-pitch seventh inning that was capped off by Brown’s sixth strikeout.

It truly has been an incredible turnaround for Brown, who was booted from the starting rotation nearly a year ago after his worst start of the season. That happened to be against the Cardinals as well. It was the lowest point for Brown, who gave up eight runs on four two-run home runs. He was then demoted to Triple-A for a month.

Now, Ben Brown is the best starting pitcher in the rotation.

There were still many fans doubting Brown as he was given another shot at being a starter, despite his newfound success after an important offseason. Brown began the year with a 2.10 ERA in 25.2 innings.

Now, through six starts, Brown is proving that he can succeed in the rotation.

After giving up 18 home runs in 106.1 innings in 2025, Brown has only surrendered one home run this season. That came against the very first batter he faced on Opening Day.

Crazy to think after 2025, but imagine the Cubs without Ben Brown so far this season? He hasn’t just stepped up, he’s becoming a real difference-maker.

St. Louis Cardinals Fan Embarrassed Himself After Pete Crow-Armstrong’s “F*ck You” Home Run

By
Aldo Soto
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I mean, if there was ever a fuck you home run in the dictionary, then it would be this one from Pete Crow-Armstrong. It wasn’t just the fact that he hit his longest home run of the season on the hardest-hit ball of his career; it came while St. Louis Cardinals fans were chanting overrated AND the Chicago Cubs center fielder hit the home run directly to the section of fans that were leading the chants at Busch Stadium Saturday night.

The 444-foot home run landed in the tarps off section in the right field seats, and after Fox desperately wanted to capture some sort of moment, they finally got one going to commercial after the top of the eighth inning.

Whoever the Cardinals fan was who ended up with the ball probably wants to take this one back. This was certainly an attempt to throw the home run ball back onto the field, but the throw will now live on forever as an embarrassing memory for this Cardinals fan.

That’s it. Crow-Armstrong helped by hitting the home run, but that throw ended the tarps off trend in St. Louis. What a pathetic display of athleticism. Is that guy left-handed? Holy shit, what’s going on with youth baseball in St. Louis that you have grown men spiking a ball 10 feet in front of them like they’re an upset Arsenal fan who has never thrown a ball in his life?

Just your average Cardinals fan, amirite?!?!

With that being said, it felt and sounded like a great atmosphere on Saturday night. The game was close until the Cubs added on in the final two innings, beginning with Crow-Armstrong’s home run in the eighth. You also have to love his response after the game, acknowledging the fans and respecting the passion they’re showing, which, in turn, helps him feed off their energy.

Via Martin Kilcoyne.

“They’re rowdy, and they’re showing up. They’re buying into something, so I can appreciate it. But absolutely, they don’t really rest for nine innings, and I guess that’s what they’re there to do. We love playing against the Cardinals. In-division rivals is always fun, so it’s nice that they have a really good squad this year and they’re playing good baseball. It’s absolutely easy to feed off of.”

It’s another national broadcast on Sunday, as the series finale in St. Louis will air on NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball.

Embarrassing Video of St. Louis Cardinals Fan Throwing HR Ball Back Gets Even Better

By
Aldo Soto
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This story gets even better as another video dropped of the pathetic St. Louis Cardinals fan, who tried to throw Pete Crow-Armstrong’s home run ball back on Saturday night. First, the dude did a horrible job fumbling around, trying to switch the actual home run ball with a BP home run ball, and then he couldn’t even throw it back onto the field.

Again, it looks like this was the first time the fan had ever thrown a baseball in his life, and I’m not sure if he knows whether he’s right- or left-handed because this shit was hilariously bad. The new angle shows how the ball actually ended up hitting an innocent Cubs fan in the front row of the bleachers.

Luckily, that ball was going 2mph so it didn’t seem to hurt the Cubs fan.

And there was a happy ending as that Cubs fan ended up giving the ball to a younger fan.

(Previous Update)

I mean, if there was ever a fuck you home run in the dictionary, then it would be this one from Pete Crow-Armstrong. It wasn’t just the fact that he hit his longest home run of the season on the hardest-hit ball of his career; it came while St. Louis Cardinals fans were chanting overrated AND the Chicago Cubs center fielder hit the home run directly to the section of fans that were leading the chants at Busch Stadium Saturday night.

The 444-foot home run landed in the tarps off section in the right field seats, and after Fox desperately wanted to capture some sort of moment, they finally got one going to commercial after the top of the eighth inning.

Whoever the Cardinals fan was who ended up with the ball probably wants to take this one back. This was certainly an attempt to throw the home run ball back onto the field, but the throw will now live on forever as an embarrassing memory for this Cardinals fan.

That’s it. Crow-Armstrong helped by hitting the home run, but that throw ended the tarps off trend in St. Louis. What a pathetic display of athleticism. Is that guy left-handed? Holy shit, what’s going on with youth baseball in St. Louis that you have grown men spiking a ball 10 feet in front of them like they’re an upset Arsenal fan who has never thrown a ball in his life?

Just your average Cardinals fan, amirite?!?!

With that being said, it felt and sounded like a great atmosphere on Saturday night. The game was close until the Cubs added on in the final two innings, beginning with Crow-Armstrong’s home run in the eighth. You also have to love his response after the game, acknowledging the fans and respecting the passion they’re showing, which, in turn, helps him feed off their energy.

Via Martin Kilcoyne.

“They’re rowdy, and they’re showing up. They’re buying into something, so I can appreciate it. But absolutely, they don’t really rest for nine innings, and I guess that’s what they’re there to do. We love playing against the Cardinals. In-division rivals is always fun, so it’s nice that they have a really good squad this year and they’re playing good baseball. It’s absolutely easy to feed off of.”

It’s another national broadcast on Sunday, as the series finale in St. Louis will air on NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Had the Most Satisfying Game of His Career vs. the St. Louis Cardinals

By
Aldo Soto
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You know that had to feel amazing for Pete Crow-Armstrong, who not only had one of the best games of his career, but most certainly the most satisfying, going up against the St. Louis Cardinals. The center fielder struck out to leadoff the game, but then reached base five straight times, which included four hits.

The highlight of the night was Crow-Armstrong’s seventh home run of the season in the eighth inning. For starters, it was his longest home run of the 2026 season, measuring at an estimated 444 feet, that landed right into the outfield section that was chanting “Overrated” during Crow-Armstrong’s at-bats.

This might have been the end of the tarps off crowd in St. Louis.

The 114.6mph exit velocity from Crow-Armstrong was the hardest-hit ball of his MLB career, and it puts him into some elite company so far in the 2026 MLB season.

He finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 4-for-5 at the plate. Before the mammoth home run, Crow-Armstrong jump-started the Cubs’ offense with a leadoff double in the fifth inning. He moved up to third base on a ground ball to the right side by Nico Hoerner, and then Michael Busch drove him in with a base hit center.

Crow-Armstrong was in the middle of the Cubs’ sixth-inning rally, as he reached base with a hit by pitch that loaded the bases, and then he added the cherry on top in the ninth inning with a two-strike RBI single.

Yet, the most impressive play of the Cubs’ 6-1 win wasn’t even anything Crow-Armstrong did on offense because with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the best center fielder in baseball lived up to his title.

Waving goodbye to the Cardinals fans with his glove…chef’s kiss.

I still don’t quite understand why Crow-Armstrong is so loathed around the league, but recently it’s been easy to dunk on him after the incident with the White Sox fan, which was then followed by his worst defensive series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

However, for a guy who gets overrated chants, you’d think he’d be a lot worse than he actually is. After a brutal first 2.5 weeks to the regular season, and yes, they were awful, Crow-Armstrong is back to his 2025 trajectory.

Since April 14, Crow-Armstrong has posted a slash line of .252/.360/.444 with a 131 wRC+, six home runs, a 10.7 BB%, and, by the expected stats based on his batted-ball data, his numbers should be even better. By the way, during this 43-game stretch, Crow-Armstrong has put up a 2.2 fWAR, No. 1 in the National League, and second only to Bobby Witt Jr. in MLB.

Chicago Cubs Pitching Should Get a Major Boost Soon

By
Aldo Soto
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Feb 11, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera (30) talks to the media during spring training camp at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Edward Cabrera’s stuff wasn’t exactly popping off lately with the Chicago Cubs, and then in his last start, the right-handed pitcher exited in the fourth inning because of a blister issue. Luckily, it was only a blister, and nothing more serious, as the Cubs have already been dealt a nasty hand with numerous pitching injuries this season.

However, as minor an issue as it was in the grand scheme of things, the Cubs did place Cabrera on the 15-day injured list. The IL stint is retroactive to May 21, so Cabrera is eligible to return by the end of next week, when the Cubs begin a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field.

Cabrera threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Thursday and is scheduled to throw another one on Sunday. This one will be key, as the Cubs don’t necessarily want to waste any more time than needed on Cabrera’s return.

The 28-year-old has recorded a 4.00 ERA in 10 starts so far in 2026. The right-hander has 47 strikeouts, 20 walks, and he’s given up eight home runs in 54 innings. Cabrera’s velocity has decreased from last year, and so has his movement on his breaking pitches.

If you’re the Cubs, you’re hoping the blister is causing these issues, and that getting it repaired will lead to improved results.

So, look for an update on Sunday’s bullpen session. If all is good, then Cabrera should be able to come back and pitch against the Giants five days later, when he is first eligible to be activated off the injured list.

Meanwhile, the Cubs will have Jordan Wicks pitch in Sunday’s series finale this weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals. The lefty was called up to fill in for Cabrera, and it was a brutal first start earlier this week. Wicks made his first MLB start since 2024 on Tuesday, when he took the loss after allowing eight earned runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings.

(Previous Update)

There were a few minutes there where it was over for the Chicago Cubs. Justin Steele suffered a setback last month. Cade Horton is already out for the season, while Matthew Boyd is recovering from knee surgery. The last thing the Cubs can afford right now is another pitching injury, and while it’s less than ideal, at least Edward Cabrera didn’t blow out his elbow on Wednesday night.

It seemed like that was the case after Cabrera threw a 92.5mph four-seam fastball to begin the fourth inning. That was considerably lower than his average velocity, and the pitch that ended way out of the strike zone made catcher Carson Kelly call for the trainer. A quick conversation on the mound resulted in Cabrera exiting the game in the fourth inning.

The Cubs finally gave an update, but those 10 minutes before hearing anything were painful. Any time you see a pitcher lose 4-5mph on a fastball and the trainer is called, you automatically think there’s an elbow injury, which means months, if not the rest of the year, being missed. Luckily, it turned out to be a blister on Cabrera’s middle finger that caused his early exit against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cabrera allowed four runs in three innings pitched on Wednesday, but only one of those runs was earned. Yet, it was yet another shaky performance from Cabrera, who has been trending down in the past few weeks. The righty only had two strikeouts, while giving up four hits and two walks in his three innings.

Last year, Cabrera began the regular season on the injured list because he had his right middle fingernail removed to expedite his recovery from the blister that he suffered during spring training. Hopefully, this time around, the recovery will be a lot quicker for Cabrera.

The Final Illinois Effort to Keep The Chicago Bears Failed. And What The Fallout Tells Us

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Sen. Dick Durbin of Springfield addresses a joint session of the Illinois legislature at the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Springfield. It was Durbin's final address to lawmakers before he leaves Congress.

Unsurprisingly, the Illinois state government once again showed that it couldn’t find a solution to a problem before running out of time. News hit yesterday that the state senate killed the Chicago Bears megaprojects bill. Most of it concerned the uncertainty about how it would affect taxpayers across the wider state. Still, key figures in the government weren’t ready to give up. They worked to introduce a new bill that would narrow the focus to just the Bears, offering a proposal they felt would get the necessary votes.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the details are somewhat wild. The idea was that municipalities, or towns with 70,000 or more residents in the state, would be allowed to create stadium-financing authorities. They would be allowed to pitch the Bears on a location. Once the Bears accepted, they would finance stadium construction, while the municipality would officially own it. This would mean the team completely dodges paying property taxes while still keeping most or all of the revenue generated.

It is something the Chicago Bears likely would be on board with.

Sources close to the negotiations said the most promising idea was to allow municipalities to create their own stadium-financing authorities, akin to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority that funded construction of what is now Rate Field, as well as the often-ridiculed 2003 renovation of Soldier Field…

…Under the proposal — which was still in flux by the hour — the land and the stadium at whatever site the team picks would be owned by the municipality, whether it’s Arlington Heights, Chicago or another suitor.

The Bears would pay to build the stadium, but be completely off the hook for property taxes. That was their main concern in advocating for the tanked megaproject legislation, which would’ve allowed them to negotiate discounted payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) in order to slash property tax bills the team has estimated would top $100 million in Arlington Heights.

“They would essentially pay for the stadium, enter an agreement with the municipality — could be any municipality — and the municipality would open the building,” Cunningham said as the clock ticked Sunday evening. “I think all but three NFL stadiums are publicly owned right now, so it’s a pretty common model.”

Sadly, time ran out.

The Senate ultimately passed the bill by a 37-17 vote. That meant it would get shifted back to the House. If they voted to pass it, the bill would go to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s desk for a signature. In the end, House leaders didn’t like the uncertainties about the new legislation and didn’t even bring it to a vote. The government session ended, crushing any chance of the bill passing. That seemingly puts the Bears in a position to make a decision. Do they wait it out to see if the House considers revisiting the bill during the fall session in November, or do they cut bait and start their move to Indiana?

The team made a statement following the end of the session. They made it clear they remain focused on Arlington Heights or Hammond and will stick to their original timeline of late spring/early summer before making a final decision.

It seems apparent they are holding out hope that the government is seeking a way to settle this bill issue before the fall. This was encouraged by House Speaker Chris Welch, who stated that the bill hasn’t been abandoned. Leaders will continue working at it, and he’s confident it will be resolved “sooner than later.”

Hidden layers in the bill led to its failure.

Anybody familiar with democratic government operations will know that competing parties love hiding small amendments with enormous implications inside bills. By doing this late in legislative sessions, it is hoped that such measures will go overlooked due to the time crunch. In this case, the big issue was how many public tax dollars would funnel to something called One Central. It is a massive, proposed $20 billion mixed-use megadevelopment aiming to build a new neighborhood and multi-modal transit hub on a 34-acre platform over existing Metra tracks, located just west of Soldier Field. If the bill had passed, it would’ve provided a massive boost to that project. It also would’ve given Chicago a significant edge in keeping the Bears.

Brian Costin, the Deputy State Director at Americans for Prosperity – Illinois, provided a breakdown of what this all means.

This feels like the central point of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s effort to kill the megaprojects bill and keep the Chicago Bears in the city. The team only made matters more complicated by holding multiple meetings and calls with city officials in recent weeks, emboldening the block of voters who want to keep it downtown to kill the bill. Hence, here we are.

Everything depends on what happens in the next several days. Welch believes there is a path to resolving the issue. More time is needed. Does this mean the government could call a special session? It has happened only five times since 2000. Four of those times were over state budget issues, and the other was the map redistricting. This would be the first time the government has ever done such a thing strictly over a sports team.

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