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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
CHICAGO — Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman will be out indefinitely after an MRI revealed a cartilage fracture in his right rib, the team announced Wednesday.
Stroman, 32, had been scheduled to come off the injured list to pitch on Wednesday against the White Sox, but he experienced discomfort in his ribs following a bullpen session in Toronto on Sunday. Stroman, who was already nursing a sore hip when the fracture occurred, underwent an MRI on Monday.
“It’s an unusual injury for a pitcher,” said Jed Hoyer, the Cubs’ president of baseball operations. “We found out on Sunday he was having some issues. We didn’t know if it was muscular, we didn’t know if it was skeletal. We didn’t know if it was indigestion. We didn’t know what it was.”
Stroman hasn’t pitched since going on the injured list after his start on July 31. He gave up six runs in three innings in that outing, capping a rough month after a solid start to his season. He posted a 9.11 ERA in July after compiling a 2.59 mark over the first three months of the season.
“We have to wait and see,” manager David Ross said. “I know he’ll try to work his way back and help us out.”
In Stroman’s place, righty Javier Assad will get the bulk of the starts. Assad pitched well in a win over the Blue Jays on Friday, throwing a season-high 90 pitches over seven innings. He has started 11 games in his two-year big league career, making a name for himself for Team Mexico during this year’s World Baseball Classic.
Assad has a 3.12 ERA in 21 games this season, with most of the appearances coming in relief.
“Assad has been fantastic for us in all these different roles,” Hoyer said. “Hopefully someone else will step up during this period.”
Hoyer was asked if Stroman could miss the rest of the season.
“I have no idea,” he said. “That’s the honest truth. We don’t know at this point. We’ll give him a real rest period and see how he feels.”
Chicago is already navigating around another struggling pitcher, Drew Smyly, though he’s likely to return to the rotation after being sent to the bullpen recently. Assad joins him, Kyle Hendricks, Jameson Taillon and Cy Young candidate, Justin Steele, to round out the team’s rotation right now.
The Cubs are in the wild card and division race in the NL after a win streak just before the trade deadline allowed the team to add instead of subtract from their roster. But their starting staff has been up-and-down lately, contributing to a 4.84 team ERA since the all-star break. That’s good for just 10th in the NL entering play on Wednesday. Now they’ll be without a veteran starter for the near future.
“We’ll move forward with the guys we have now,” Hoyer said. “Hopefully we’ll keep playing well.”
MILWAUKEE — Brewer Hicklen is no longer a Brewer.
The outfielder was traded by the Brewers to the Detroit Tigers on Friday for cash. The move comes a day after he was designated for assignment.
The 29-year-old Hicklen scored a run but went hitless in four plate appearances for Milwaukee last season while appearing in six games. He also hit .246 with 22 homers, 72 RBI and 44 steals in 115 games with Triple-A Nashville.
When Milwaukee called him up last September, it marked the first time in franchise history that the Brewers’ roster had a player named Brewer.
Hicklen also appeared in six games with the Kansas City Royals in 2022.
PHOENIX — Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt agreed to a five-year, $45 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday as the team continues its push to secure its young standouts on long-term contracts.
Pfaadt’s deal begins in 2026 and includes a club option for 2031 and a mutual option in 2032.
Pfaadt, 26, was one of the team’s most consistent pitchers last season, finishing with an 11-10 record and a 4.71 ERA while setting career highs in wins, starts (32), innings pitched (181⅔) and strikeouts (185).
Pfaadt also gave the team an unexpected boost during its postseason run to the World Series in 2023, going 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA over five starts.
He’ll make $799,400 this year before the new contract kicks in next season.
Pfaadt’s deal is the latest example of the D-backs signing young players to long-term extensions, joining shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (four years, $45 million) and reliever Justin Martinez (five years, $18 million).
Pfaadt was a fifth-round pick out of Bellarmine in 2020.
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