Miller was traded from the Mariners to the Cubs on Monday in exchange for Jake Slaughter, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Miller was designated for assignment three days ago by the Mariners, and he'll now pack his bags for Chicago following Monday's transaction. He's surrendered four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out 12 over 11.2 innings so far this season as a reliever and will immediately join the big-league club, per Passan.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Takes loss in relief Monday
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Wesneski (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits across three innings of relief to take the loss Monday against Atlanta. He walked one and struck out two.
Wesneski had worked as a starter over his last three appearances, compiling a strong 2.20 ERA in the process, but he returned to the bullpen Monday and took over for starter Shota Imanaga, who tossed five scoreless innings. The righty seemed to lose a little sharpness in the relief role as he suffered his second loss of the season. Wesneski may return to the rotation at some point, though he's slated to work as a long reliever for now, which limits his fantasy appeal.
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Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Fans eight in no-decision
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Imanaga did not factor into the decision Monday against Atlanta, allowing seven hits and three walks over five shutout innings. He struck out eight.
With his five shutout frames Monday, Imanaga shaved his ERA down to 0.96, a sterling mark for his first 46.2 major league innings. However, the Atlanta offense made the Cubs lefty work hard for his scoreless night as they had 10 baserunners and drew three walks, both setting season-highs allowed for Imanaga. He draws a much easier opponent in his next start, scheduled against Pittsburgh at home this upcoming weekend.
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Cubs' Christopher Morel: Exits with toe injury
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Morel left Monday's game against Atlanta after fouling a ball off his left foot, and he's been diagnosed with a left toe injury, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Morel is reportedly dealing with bumps and bruises, per Lee, so this appears to be a day-to-day type of injury. The Cubs should know more about his availability for the rest of the week after re-evaluating him Tuesday.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Almonte is getting imaging done on his right shoulder Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Almonte had been placed on the the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right shoulder strain, but the Cubs apparently still want to glean more information on the extent of the injury. The right-handed reliever had posted a 3.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over 15.2 innings out of the Chicago bullpen while gathering one win, one save and six holds prior to landing on the IL.
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Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Tosses side session Monday
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Wicks (forearm) threw a bullpen session Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Wicks has been throwing off a mound for about a week after he had been placed on the 15-day injured list April 28 with a left forearm strain. The Cubs haven't yet offered up a concrete target date for his return from the IL, but if Wicks is able to resume facing hitters within the next few days, he'll likely require just one minor-league rehab start -- if any at all -- before being activated. Wicks had gone 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 28:9 K:BB across 23 innings over his five starts before being shut down with the forearm injury.
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Cubs' Drew Smyly: Completes bullpen session
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Smyly (hip) threw another bullpen session Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Smyly continues to work his way back from a right hip impingement, which prompted his placement on the 15-day injured list April 23. The 34-year-old southpaw will need to advance to facing live hitters in batting practice and will likely require a rehab assignment before being activated.
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Cubs' Jose Cuas: Back in bullpen
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The Cubs recalled Cuas from Triple-A Iowa on Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Cuas had just been sent down a day ago, but he's back to replace Adbert Alzolay (forearm), who was placed on the 15-day injured list. He will be used in low-leverage spots.
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Cubs' Adbert Alzolay: Goes on IL with forearm strain
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The Cubs placed Alzolay on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right forearm strain, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Alzolay netted a save in Sunday's extra-inning win over the Pirates, although he gave up two runs (one earned) in the process. The righty hasn't displayed strong form this season, collecting a 4.67 ERA and 13:6 K:BB over 17.1 innings. Hector Neris will continue to operate as the Cubs' primary closer.
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Cubs' Patrick Wisdom: Three hits, homer
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Wisdom went 3-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday's 5-4 win over the Pirates.
Wisdom reached four times during the extra-inning win and belted a solo homer off Aroldis Chapman in the 10th frame. With Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki healthy, starts will likely come at a premium for Wisdom despite slashing .321/.441/.679 across 34 plate appearances this season.
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Cubs' Hector Neris: Lands another W
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Neris (3-0) picked up the win Sunday against the Pirates, allowing two hits and one walk over a scoreless inning. He struck out one.
Neris took the mound in the top of the ninth during a 2-2 ballgame and fired off a scoreless inning, eventually earning the win after the Cubs put up three runs in the 10th. Since taking over closing duties from Adbert Alzolay, Neris has converted all six of his save chances and has earned a pair of wins. Over his last nine appearances, Neris owns a 2.00 ERA and a 7:7 K:BB in 9.0 innings.
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Cubs' Kyle Hendricks: Looks like himself
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Hendricks didn't factor into the decision Sunday against Pittsburgh, allowing one run on two hits and four walks across five innings. He struck out five.
Hendricks was placed on the IL on April 23 with a lower back strain, a move that followed an extremely uncharacteristic start to the season. Prior to the injury, Hendricks stumbled to a 12.00 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP with eight homers allowed across 21.0 innings. Considering Hendricks had allowed 28 combined home runs over 221.1 innings the past two seasons and owned a 3.54 career ERA before 2024, Sunday's start was much more in line with Hendricks' averages. While one solid start doesn't mean fantasy managers should expect the Hendricks of old moving forward, it's a positive sign amid a not-so-positive season for Hendricks. He's lined up for a rematch with the Pirates on Friday.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Sunday that Wesneski has been moved to the bullpen, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Counsell noted that Wesneski will work out of the bullpen for the Cubs' upcoming turn through the rotation, so it's possible that the right-hander could still move back into a starting role at some point later this month. For now, however, Wesneski will likely need the Cubs to lose another starter to injury, or for a rainout or a busy portion of the schedule to create a need for a temporary sixth starter. Wesneski had made each of his past three appearances for the Cubs as a starter, going 0-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across 16.1 innings.
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Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Next start coming Tuesday
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Taillon (back) will start Tuesday's game in Atlanta, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
A bout with back stiffness resulted in Taillon being scratched from his scheduled start Friday in Pittsburgh, but the right-hander responded well enough from a bullpen session Saturday for the Cubs to clear him to take the hill in Atlanta. With Kyle Hendricks (back) coming off the 15-day injured list to start Sunday in Pittsburgh, Taillon will end up taking over the spot in the rotation that had previously belonged to Hayden Wesneski, who has been moved to the bullpen.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Taking seat Sunday
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Busch is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
The lefty-hitting Busch had started each of the Cubs' first 10 games of May and the Pirates are bringing a lefty (Bailey Falter) to the hill Sunday, so Cubs manager Craig Counsell likely viewed it as an optimal time to give the 26-year-old the day off. Patrick Wisdom will check in for Busch at first base and bat fifth.
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Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong: On bench for second straight game
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Crow-Armstrong is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Crow-Armstrong is on the bench for the second straight game, and his time as an everyday player in the Cubs outfield appears to be over. When Cody Bellinger returned from the injured list Tuesday, Crow-Armstrong retained a starting role for each of the ensuing three games while Bellinger served as a designated hitter, but the return of Seiya Suzuki from the injured list earlier this weekend no longer leaves a spot in the outfield for Crow-Armstrong. If his playing time remains scarce over the next few games, Crow-Armstrong could be headed back to Triple-A Iowa before long.
