CHICAGO -- As the grounds crew unfurled the tarp on the infield at Wrigley Field on Sunday morning, Shota Imanaga was in the outfield going through a light workout. He went through some stretching drills and then played catch for a few minutes. Imanaga was forced to shift his routine

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here's a subjective ranking of the top five for June 21. 1) Rick Sutcliffe (1956) The Red Baron leads this list, especially given the hardware picked up over

CHICAGO -- There is no set combination for the Cubs’ bullpen right now. Without closer Daniel Palencia available, manager Craig Counsell is making decisions based on the inning, state of the game, lineup section and availability. There are games when it works, and then there are days like Saturday. The

CHICAGO -- After monitoring Daniel Palencia over the past several days, the Cubs opted to have the closer undergo imaging on his ailing right elbow. Given the potential outcomes, what the tests revealed could be categorized as good news. On Saturday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that an MRI on

CHICAGO -- Moisés Ballesteros impressed the Cubs last season with his advanced approach to hitting, stepping in during a late-season playoff push and looking the part of a dangerous hitter. That continued for the first month of this season, when the rookie cracked the Opening Day roster as Chicago’s primary

CHICAGO -- The World Series ring that Justin Dean earned with the Dodgers last year had nearly reached his hands, but then the Cubs came calling. Dean left Triple-A Iowa and was off to Wrigley Field, where he joined the North Siders on Friday morning to fill a role on

CHICAGO -- When the Cubs’ offense is firing on all cylinders, the lineup is capable of a versatile attack featuring contact, patience, speed and power. That was on full display during the first month of the season and confusingly went missing for much of May and early June. On Friday

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CHICAGO – As Dansby Swanson's teammates celebrated inside the third-base dugout, the Cubs shortstop kept his composure as he made his way around the bases on Wednesday night. It was a fitting response from a veteran who has tried to maintain a steady presence and approach, even as his struggles

CHICAGO – As Pete Crow-Armstrong rounded first base and closed in on second, the Cubs center fielder gave a quick shake of the head. Even he looked like he did not believe the ball he just sent high over the right-field line was actually a home run. After completing his

CHICAGO -- Edward Cabrera wore a look of frustration as he headed off the mound following a chat with manager Craig Counsell and head athletic trainer Nick Frangella on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. The pitcher was doing what he could to keep going, but it was clear his outing

CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Craig Counsell did not like the body language of closer Daniel Palencia in the ninth inning Monday night. Knowing that the hard-throwing righty had dealt with some minor arm soreness just last week, the manager headed to the mound with a member of the team’s training

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for June 16. 1) Kerry Wood (1977) The author of one of the great pitching performances in baseball history, Wood

CHICAGO -- Among the many possible feats on a baseball diamond, there is something satisfying about a cycle. There are more impactful accomplishments, but there is also a bit of magic and wonder that exists when circumstances align to create a performance that cleanly checks four simple boxes. Single. Double.

Seiya Suzuki was back in the Cubs' starting lineup for Monday night's opener against the Rockies at Wrigley Field, batting cleanup and serving as the designated hitter after missing part of Saturday's game and all of Sunday's with a tweaked right knee.

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Stretching a brief hot streak into the weekend -- a run of wins that felt more like the baseball displayed early in the season -- was important for the Cubs. There was no guarantee it was going to keep going with Giants ace Logan Webb on the

SAN FRANCISCO -- Seiya Suzuki headed out to right field Sunday morning at Oracle Park to test out the right knee that he tweaked one night earlier. The Cubs outfielder did some running and was originally in the lineup as the designated hitter, but manager Craig Counsell decided to give

SAN FRANCISCO -- Cubs manager Craig Counsell has heard a similar version of the same question after a few of his team’s wins lately. Given some of the team’s issues over the past several weeks, the inquiries have centered around whether the victories might point to some positive momentum. “I

SAN FRANCISCO – Javier Assad has built a reputation as a pitcher who will take on whatever role the Cubs have to offer. He has had to fight for a spot in the rotation or accept a role in the bullpen, while being ready to step in at a moment’s

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

DENVER – Once the baseball cleared the wall down the left-field line at Coors Field, Seiya Suzuki punched the air and let out a shout as he began his trip around the bases on Thursday afternoon. It was the kind of display the Cubs have been lacking and surely brought

DENVER – What looked like a foul ball turned into a fluky double play and, ultimately, led to Cubs manager Craig Counsell arguing and being ejected from his team's 9-3 win against the Rockies on Thursday afternoon in the series finale at Coors Field.

DENVER – Given Shota Imanaga’s recent troubles with giving up home runs, Coors Field did not seem like a great antidote for the Cubs’ starter. The lefty then went out and defied the elements on Wednesday with five scoreless innings, delivering one of his more impressive outings of the season.

DENVER – In the wake of Jameson Taillon landing on the injured list on Tuesday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell at least pointed to Matthew Boyd’s pending return as a piece of good news for a rotation that has been constantly hit with setbacks this season. The plans surrounding Boyd’s comeback