The Cubs are getting a lift in the bullpen and maybe another one not far behind it.
Before Wednesday’s series finale against the White Sox, Craig Counsell laid out a mixed but mostly encouraging injury report, with Daniel Palencia set to return, Hoby Milner moving closer, and Ben Brown taking a meaningful step in his recovery. The bad news came with Dansby Swanson, who is staying back in Chicago while the Cubs head to Seattle.
Palencia looks ready to be activated Friday when the Cubs open their road series against the Mariners. He hasn’t appeared in a major league game since June 15, but he’s worked through five rehab outings and finished his latest one on August 16 with the Iowa Cubs by allowing one hit and striking out three over 1.0 inning.
Chicago has managed well without him, but his return adds real heat to a bullpen that could use another high-octane arm. That’s especially true after the deadline pickup of Ryan Zeferjahn, another pitcher with a lively four-seamer.
What happens with Palencia once he’s back is the next question. Counsell didn’t map out a role, and it’s fair to wonder whether the Cubs send him right back into closing situations or keep leaning on Jacob Webb, who has been rolling lately.
Milner is still in the rehab lane, with a Thursday appearance scheduled for the Iowa Cubs. The left-hander owns a 3.53 ERA in 38 outings this season and hasn’t pitched for the big club since June 25 against the Mets.
His absence started with appendicitis, and he’s now gone through five rehab assignments, giving up three earned runs and eight hits while striking out five in 6.0 innings. His return date remains unclear, but Chicago’s relief group has been sharp enough lately that there’s no need to rush him.
Counsell was much more direct when asked about Hunter Harvey: "We're not in a great place with Harvey. He's been struggling to get going and we are running out of time there."
Harvey has only appeared in four big league games this season. He was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL in May because of right tricep inflammation, and his injury history makes the outlook even more concerning. A shutdown for the season now feels very much in play.
Brown, though, is trending the other way. Counsell said he is heading to Arizona and will face live batters on Friday, calling it a "big" step. Earlier this week, Jed Hoyer said on 104.3 The Score that there was some optimism Brown could get healthy in time for the postseason, and the hope is that he can contribute in some form over the next few weeks.
The safest guess is that any return would come out of the bullpen, even if Brown was impressive as a starter before the neck injury. In his last seven outings, all starts, he posted a 1.88 ERA. His fastball-curve combination was giving hitters fits, and his command was pointing in the right direction too, with a 7.2 percent walk rate this season.
Swanson is the one holding steady on the wrong side of the ledger. The Cubs already expect him to miss 4-to-6 weeks, and he will not join the team in Seattle. Instead, he’ll remain at Wrigley to keep working on the oblique injury while the Cubs use the extra time to help him recover.
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