Pitching a premium for Cubs at Deadline amid ongoing injuries

CHICAGO – As the second half arrives for the Cubs, the ballclub is hopeful to have two of its starting pitchers returning from the injured list soon.

Prior to Friday’s game against the Twins, Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that right-hander Jameson Taillon (15-day IL, left hamstring) is set to be activated to start against the Tigers in the next series. Chicago has not yet set a specific day for Taillon’s comeback.

Righty Edward Cabrera (15-day IL, left hamstring/adductor) is on pace for the second week of August.

“The hope is that guys can start getting healthy and trickling back,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Friday, “and we can keep getting good news on guys. It’d be great to be in that position.”

Taillon made a pair of Minor League rehab starts and is poised to return after injuring his hamstring in an outing on June 7 against the Giants. Cabrera, who has been sidelined since June 24, threw off a mound on Thursday at Wrigley Field and Counsell said the righty could be cleared for live BP by late next week, “assuming everything goes well from here.”

Hoyer was asked if the wave of pitchers who could come off the IL to help the rotation and bullpen might influence how the Cubs approach the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.

“I don’t think it impacts it much, honestly,” Hoyer said. “I think I’ve said it to you a million times: You can’t have enough pitching. You never have enough. This first half has kind of proven that. We thought we went in with real depth and we got to the end of our depth, and I had to trade for guys and pick up guys.

“So, the hope of guys coming back off the injured list, I don’t think it’s going to temper our need. I’d love to have, ‘Oh, we have too much.’ I don’t see that ever really happening. I don’t think that would impact it considerably.”

Other injury updates:

• RHP Daniel Palencia: Counsell said Palencia (15-day IL, right flexor strain) is currently rehabbing in Arizona, but has not been “moving forward” in his throwing. The manager said Palencia’s timetable of “early August” has now been pushed back to mid-August, as long as the righty begins making more progress.

• UTIL Matt Shaw: Counsell noted that Shaw (15-day IL, left hand sprain) is “still symptomatic” after testing his hand/wrist in the batting cage. The manager said Shaw needs to wait for symptoms to go away before building up his activity again. His timetable remains unclear right now.

• RHP Ben Brown: The righty has continued to do light work with plyo balls and baseballs, per Counsell. If he continues to be asymptomatic, Brown (15-day IL, stress reaction in his neck) might resume a throwing program late next week. Counsell said the Cubs will continue to be conservative, given the need for Brown’s neck to fully heal.

• LHP Hoby Milner: Counsell said Milner has fully healed from the emergency appendectomy he underwent on June 27. The lefty will begin to build-up his activity with a potential return around Aug. 1, per the manager.

• LHP Justin Steele: Counsell said the lefty remains on target to resume bullpen sessions by the first week of August. The manager reiterated that it will be a “long ramp-up” for Steele (60-day IL, left elbow) given his long layoff.