The Chicago Cubs are suffering through a disappointing stretch, marred by a struggling offense, inconsistent middle and backend relief, and questionable leadership at the hands of Tom Ricketts, Theo Epstein. The starting rotation and ever-patient northside faithful have been the sole glimmers of hope for the young, yet telling season. With a little over two months remaining before the trade deadline, the Cu ...

Elbow surgery, a lat strain, three rehab starts, and ten months later, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza will be activated off the disabled list on Tuesday, May 21 to face the Pittsburgh Pirates later that night. Tuesday will be Garza’s first start since July 21, 2012, the longest period of time that Garza has been absent from professional baseball in his career. Following a solid rehab start for Tri ...

Coming off of his first season as a full time starter, Chicago Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija was looked upon as the go-to man for the Cubs alongside Edwin Jackson. A lat muscle strain at the beginning of spring training pushed back Matt Garza’s 2013 debut into late-May (as projected), heightening expectations for Samardzija and Jackson to step up and lead the Chicago rotation towards victory. Nearly one month an ...

Anthony Rizzo agreed to a contract extension worth $41 million that will keep him with the Chicago Cubs through 2019, according to major-league sources. The deal also includes two $14.5 million club options, plus $2 million buyouts. The guaranteed portion of the deal runs from 2013-19. The deal does not include any no-trade protection. Rizzo, 23, is hitting .288/.361/.554 with nine home runs and  hit .285/. ...

Kevin Gregg recorded his fifth save in  five opportunities last night and has not allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings this season, and that was enough for Cubs manager Dale Sveum  to confirm that Gregg will serve as a team's closer when Kyuji Fujikawa returns from the disabled list. Gregg  has been an unexpected surprise this season and apparently the closer's job is his to lose going forward. Fantasy Play:  As ...

Hector Santiago made a start for the White Sox on Tuesday in place of the injured Jake Peavy and delivered with seven shutout innings against the Mets. Peavy, off to a nice start to the year himself, missed his start with a back injury paving the way for the 25 year-old Santiago to perform. The Mets beat the White Sox in 10 innings despite Santiago's efforts. Fantasy Play: It didn't help Santiago's pride he ...

Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza took one step closer to returning to the big leagues tossing 54 pitches, 37 for strikes against Oklahoma City for Triple-A Iowa. Garza is rehabbing from a strained left lat suffered during spring training in February and is scheduled to make at least two more rehab starts. Garza will start again for Double-A Tennessee  later this week.  The Cubs will look to stretch cars are ...

Chicago Cubs reliever Kyuji Fujikawa Is scheduled to make his second rehab appearance for Double-A Tennessee. He will pitch one inning. Fujikawa has been rehabbing from a strained right forearm and struck out two while walking one in one inning of work in his first rehab appearance on Sunday for Iowa. "If everything goes good again, that should be enough," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said of Fujikawa's rehab ou ...

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit his seventh and eighth home runs of the season to power the Chicago Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the Miami Marlins. The win marked the first time this season the Cubs have one back to back games. Rizzo's second career two-home run game gave him eight on the season, the most by a Cubs left-handed hitter in April. Billy Williams (1970) and Henry Rodriguez (2000) each ...

Jorge Soler was the second fiddle in the summer of Cuban prospects and still signed a nine year, 30 million dollar deal with the Chicago Cubs last season. While Yoenis Cespedes has emerged as a potential star for the Oakland Athletics, Soler, just 21 years old, has been spending time in the Cubs' farm system, playing the role of a star prospect for the A team, Daytona Cubs. Now he will miss five games due t ...

Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza will  start the season on the disabled list according to manager Dale Sveum. Garza was in the second day of playing catch after sitting out 10 days with the side injury, which occurred during his first live batting practice session. Garza  experienced tightness in his side and was shutdown. “It’s a minor setback that (he) could wind up missing two weeks to a month," he said. ...

Fresh off a four-year, $52 million dollar deal, Edwin Jackson seemed comfortable in his Chicago Cubs' debut.The right-handed pitcher was added to the southside for a few different reasons this spring. Jackson will join Jeff Samardzija and Matt Garza among the front of the Cubs' rotation and also provide long-term insurance in the event Garza is dealt as part of Theo Epstein's master plan to rebuild the Cubs ...

With the ever rising cost of offense, more and more teams are looking to platoons as low-cost, high-reward options. The platoon is hardly a new managerial tool, but it seems as though there are more teams using the stat-heavy angle to leverage player's stronger sides to enhance the team's production--while also saving a penny or two in the process. Below is an in-depth, projected list of National League org ...

Michael Bourn's trade market has been slow this offseason. With Tony Campana designated for assignment today by the Chicago Cubs, it may be a little more delayed as well. Campana was DFA'd to make room for Scott Hairston, whom the Cubs signed a few weeks ago. Campana was the odd man out of a remade outfield also including: Alfonso Soriano, David DeJesus and Nate Schierholtz. Chicago will now have 10 days to ...