Ben Brown took a meaningful step back toward the Chicago Cubs on Friday, and the latest update makes it harder to ignore the possibility that he’s back before October.
Brown, who has been out since the middle of June with a neck injury similar to the one that cut short his 2024 season, finally got back to live work at the Cubs’ spring training complex in Arizona. Craig Counsell called the bullpen session a big step in the recovery process.
The Cubs had been cautious with Brown even though he’d been asymptomatic for a while. The throwing program only resumed in the last few weeks, which is why Friday mattered so much. It wasn’t just a box-checking exercise; it was the kind of milestone that starts to bring a return into focus.
Justin Steele was also part of the live bullpen work on Friday, and the Cubs waited until the following day to see how both pitchers responded. The answer, according to Counsell, was encouraging: neither pitcher had a setback, and the plan is for each to throw again this week.
For Brown, the path is clearer than Steele’s. If this next session goes well, he’s expected to head back to Chicago and begin a minor-league rehab assignment. That’s the biggest hint yet that the Cubs are genuinely moving toward getting him back in the mix.
Steele’s situation is still more murky. After reconstructive UCL surgery last year and then a flexor strain during his ramp-up, the Cubs are taking their time with him. It’s still unclear whether he’ll pitch in games for the Cubs this season, though a minor-league rehab assignment remains on the table.
Brown, though, is the name that matters most right now. If he’s healthy by the middle of September, that would be a real lift for a pitching staff that has started to show some cracks. Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd have struggled lately, Kevin Gausman’s start to his Cubs tenure hasn’t exactly been clean, and Edward Cabrera’s further regression has already pointed him toward the bullpen.
And that’s where Brown’s role becomes especially important. He won’t be built up as a starter with the regular season winding down, but the Cubs have already seen what he can do in shorter bursts. Earlier this season, Brown thrived as a multi-inning reliever, and that kind of weapon can still matter plenty in October.
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For a club that is always trying to stock the next wave, Hartshorns season stands out because Chicago simply does not see teenage hitters do this very often. He is still likely a couple of years from the majors, but the path is getting more interesting by the week, especially with the possibility that he could one day pair with Pete Crow-Armstrong in a dynamic Cubs outfield. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Playoff Push Could Soon Get Two Pitching Reinforcements
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Brown is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon if everything continues on the current path, while Steele is slated to throw live batting practice next and could follow with a rehab assignment of his own. For a team in the middle of a playoff push, the possibility of getting both pitchers back into the mix would give Chicago another layer of depth when every outing starts to matter more. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Open Huge Wild Card Series With One Big Lineup Question
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Michael Conforto was back in the designated hitter spot for the Cubs for a second straight game, giving Chicago another look at a bat that has been part of the recent mix. On the other side, Ketel Marte remained on the injured list, leaving Arizona short one of its most important players and forcing former Cub Ildemaro Vargas to handle second base again as the Diamondbacks try to keep pace in a crowded chase. [Read more 🡒]