MLB Player News

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after Monday's 3-2 loss that Soroka (shoulder) is expected to be placed on the 15-day injured list, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The club is presumably still in the process of running more tests on Soroka's shoulder, but the right-hander's injury is considered significant enough that he'll need to be shelved for at least two weeks. Acquired from the Nationals ahead of the trade deadline, Soroka lasted just two innings in his Cubs debut, striking out three while giving up one earned run on one hit and one walk before exiting with shoulder discomfort. Ben Brown tossed four innings of one-run ball in long relief and is likely the leading candidate to replace Soroka in the rotation.

Swanson went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Monday's 3-2 loss to the Reds.

Swanson swatted his first home run since July 13 in the third inning, giving him 17 long balls for the season to go along with 54 RBI across 110 contests. In 14 games since that last homer, the Chicago shortstop had fallen into a 10-for-50 slump with 22 strikeouts before leaving the yard Monday. Swanson should still play nearly every day despite his recent downturn in production, though the acquisition of Willi Castro before the trade deadline gives the Cubs another option in the middle infield, which could lead to more days off for both Swanson and Nico Hoerner moving forward.

Brown allowed one run on two hits across four innings of relief in Monday's 3-2 loss to the Reds. He struck out five.

The newly acquired Michael Soroka made the start for the Cubs, but he only lasted two innings in his team debut before departing due to right shoulder discomfort. Brown was then thrust into action, and the young righty responded with one of his best performances over the past few months. Soroka had seemingly pushed Brown out of the rotation upon his arrival in Chicago, but it remains to be seen if the former has to miss any extended time. If he does, Brown and his 6.04 ERA could be back in a starting role at least temporarily, though the Cubs do also have Jameson Taillon (calf) likely returning from the injured list in the near future.

Sosa went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and three runs scored in Monday's 13-3 win over the Orioles.

Sosa singled and scored on a pair of Kyle Schwarber homers before adding his own 429-foot blast in the ninth inning. The 29-year-old has drawn eight starts and appeared in 11 games at second and third base since Alec Bohm (rib) landed on the injured list July 19, going 8-for-30 with two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored and a stolen base in that span. On the season, he's slashing .273/.313/.430 with five long balls, 26 RBI, 20 runs scored and one steal across 178 plate appearances.

Manaea didn't factor into the decision Monday against Cleveland, allowing five runs on seven hits and no walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out three.

Manaea was cruising along through five shutout frames but came apart in the sixth inning, when Cleveland brought in five runs. The veteran southpaw set a season high in both runs and hits allowed, though it was at least somewhat encouraging to see him pitch a season-high 5.2 innings in his fifth start of the year. Manaea's season ERA soared from 2.08 to 3.52 on Monday, and he now holds a 0.96 WHIP and 25:4 K:BB over 23 innings. His next outing is slated for this weekend against the Brewers, who boast a .799 OPS versus left-handed pitching since the start of July.

Fedde (3-12) took the loss Monday against Milwaukee, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in 5.1 innings. He failed to record a strikeout.

Monday marked the third time in his last six starts that Fedde was unable to register a punchout. The veteran right-hander has thrown at least five innings on just two occasions over his last seven outings, during which he owns a ghastly 10.73 ERA, 2.02 WHIP and 11:15 K:BB across 27.2 frames. Things may not get much easier for Fedde with a matchup at home versus the red-hot Marlins on tap for this weekend.

Bader went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Monday's 13-3 win over the Orioles.

Bader had his first big moment with the Phillies, breaking a 3-3 tie with a three-run blast in the sixth inning. It marked his first hit in four games since joining the club, as he's drawn two starts against lefties while sitting against two righties. The 32-year-old is slashing .253/.333/.438 with 13 homers, 41 RBI, 33 runs scored and 10 steals across 318 plate appearances this season, though he'll likely need more performances like this to carve out more than a platoon role moving forward.

Priester (11-2) notched the win Monday against Atlanta, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in seven innings. He struck out four.

Priester continues to impress with the Brewers, having now fired at least six innings while yielding two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. The right-hander appears to have established a fairly strong grip on a starting role in Milwaukee's rotation, as he's posted a 2.40 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 61:15 K:BB over his last 63.2 innings since the beginning of June. That said, a difficult assignment awaits Priester this weekend at home versus a dangerous Mets lineup.

Suwinski went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and an additional run scored in Monday's 5-4 win against the Giants.

The Pittsburgh outfielder notched his second long ball of the season when he took San Francisco reliever Carson Seymour deep in seventh inning. The round-tripper marked Suwinski's second extra-base hit -- both homers -- since rejoining the big-league club July 8 in a reserve role. Since then, the 27-year-old has struggled at the plate with a .103 (3-for-29) average, four runs scored and three RBI across 13 contests.

Oviedo conceded two runs on two hits and three walks over one inning while not factoring into the decision in Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Giants. He struck out three.

The Pittsburgh right-hander was understandably rusty, as he pitched for the first time since Sept. 27, 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in December 2023. Oviedo struggled to find the zone in this short outing, firing 43 total pitches while tallying only 23 strikes. The 27-year-old's velocity was diminished in this appearance, as he averaged 94.8 mph on his fastball, down from 95.8 mph previously in 2023. Oviedo is not a viable fantasy starting pitcher while he continues to reacclimate himself to the big leagues. He is currently scheduled to make his next start against the Reds at home this weekend.