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Boyd (2-1) earned the win Sunday against the Diamondbacks, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts across six innings.
It was Boyd's first quality start of the season and the first time he's pitched at least six innings. After getting tagged for seven runs across 8.2 innings in two starts since returning from the injured list, Boyd was able to find some success Sunday. He threw 65 of his 94 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 6.00 with an impressive 31:6 K:BB across 24 innings this season. Boyd's 1.82 FIP entering Sunday suggests he's pitched significantly better than his box-score results. With an impressive 33.7 percent whiff rate, Boyd looks like a pitcher to buy in fantasy.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Drives in four Sunday
Rotowire
Busch went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a triple, a run scored and four RBI in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Diamondbacks.
Busch was all over the bases Sunday as he helped power the Cubs to victory, The first baseman is heating up with a .298 batting average, eight extra-base hits and 14 RBI across his last 12 games. Busch had the opportunity to bat first Saturday with Nico Hoerner out for a game with a neck issue, but the latter returned Sunday. That development pushed Busch down to sixth in the order, with Hoerner returning to the top spot.
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Cubs' Moises Ballesteros: Powers team Sunday
Rotowire
Ballesteros went 2-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Diamondbacks.
Ballesteros snapped an 0-for-16 slump across his previous four games with a strong performance Sunday. Even following the mini cold spell, the 22-year-old is having a tremendous season with a .317/.380/.598 slash line, six home runs and 18 RBI across 30 contests. The Cubs also announced recently that Ballesteros would begin to see more playing time behind the plate, which should elevate his fantasy appeal once he gains eligibility at catcher in most formats.
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Cubs' Luis Peralta: Claimed by Cubs, sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs claimed Peralta off waivers from the Cardinals on Sunday and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Peralta was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on Friday but quickly found a home in a new organization willing to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to him. The southpaw never made an appearance in the Cardinals organization, but he posted an inflated 17.18 ERA and 3.24 WHIP with 14 strikeouts over 7.1 innings in six appearances with the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque this season. Peralta has the ability to punch out batters, but he'll need to greatly limit the damage against him at Iowa before receiving a look in Chicago's bullpen.
Hoerner (neck) will start at second base and bat leadoff in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Hoerner was removed from Friday's game after experiencing tightness on the left side of his neck and then remained on the bench Saturday as well, but he feels well enough to give it a go in the series finale. The 28-year-old opened the season as the Cubs' No. 5 hitter but has climbed into the leadoff spot after producing a .374 OBP through his first 32 games.
During his week-long stint in the majors, Rios made just one appearance out of the bullpen, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings last Sunday. The 32-year-old will be subject to waivers, and if he goes unclaimed, he'll have the option of electing free agency.
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Cubs' Daniel Palencia: Makes return from IL
Rotowire
The Cubs reinstated Palencia (lat) from the 15-day injured list Sunday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Placed on the shelf April 17 due to a lat strain, Palencia ended up missing just over the minimum amount of time. The righty will rejoin the Cubs after making a 19-pitch rehab appearance for Triple-A Iowa on Friday, when he retired two of the three batters he faced and averaged 100.4 miles per hour with his fastball. Given the brevity of his absence, Palencia should settle back in as the Cubs' closer right away.
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Cubs' Ian Happ: Carries offense in victory
Rotowire
Happ went 3-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run and a walk in a 2-0 win against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Happ produced all the offense Chicago would need with a solo blast to right field in the second inning. He later scored the team's only other run of the game in the eighth. Happ was the only Cub to notch multiple hits in the game -- in fact, the remainder of the lineup went a combined 2-for-25. It was a much-needed big performance from Happ, who had gone 3-for-23 with nine strikeouts (albeit with six walks) over his previous seven contests.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Notches first save
Rotowire
Brown earned a save against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, striking out one batter in two perfect innings.
After Shota Imanaga gave Chicago seven scoreless frames, Brown was brought in to preserve a 2-0 lead in the eighth. The right-hander retired the side in order on 13 pitches in that frame and remained in the game for the ninth, when he again set down the side in order, this time on 11 pitches, to pick up his first save of the season. Brown was a popular pick to take over closer duties after Daniel Palencia went on the IL with a lat injury April 17, but this was his first save chance since that time. Brown has certainly displayed the stuff to be a ninth-inning option -- he has a 1.82 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 23:7 K:BB over 24.2 frames on the campaign. However, Palencia is on track to be activated in the coming days, so Saturday may end up being a rare save chance for Brown.
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Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Shines Saturday with seven scoreless
Rotowire
Imanaga (3-2) earned the win over Arizona on Saturday, allowing four hits and issuing one walk while striking out five batters over seven scoreless innings.
Imanaga allowed just one extra-base hit (a double) and didn't allow any runners to reach third base. The southpaw was efficient in needing just 87 pitches to complete seven frames, and he racked up 14 whiffs. This was an excellent bounce-back performance for Imanaga after he allowed a season-worst five runs (four earned) in a loss against the Dodgers in his previous start. He's in the midst of a strong season overall, posting a 2.40 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 43:10 K:BB over 41.1 innings spanning seven starts.
Palencia (lat) returned to the Cubs from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday and is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list in the coming days, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Palencia landed on the 15-day injured list in mid-April due to a left lat strain. He made his lone rehab outing Friday in Triple-A, striking out one batter while allowing one hit and zero walks in two-thirds of an inning. Palencia has not yielded a run across five major-league innings this season and will resume closing duties for the Cubs once activated from the IL.
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Cubs' Nico Hoerner: Absent from Saturday's lineup
Rotowire
Hoerner (neck) is not in the Cubs' starting lineup against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Hoerner left Friday's game against Arizona due to neck tightness, and the injury will keep the veteran second baseman on the bench for Saturday's matinee. Matt Shaw will start at the keystone and bat eighth against right-hander Ryne Nelson.
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Cubs' Carson Kelly: Productive in win Friday
Rotowire
Kelly went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks.
Kelly has been an offensive force so far for the Cubs, as he's slashing .316/.413/.443 through 24 games. He's established himself as the clear top backstop in Chicago across the past two seasons, though Miguel Amaya is one of the more talented complementary options in the league. Kelly should continue to see the majority of the playing time moving forward, and his hot bat warrants attention in most fantasy formats.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Doubles, drives in two Friday
Rotowire
Busch went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Friday's 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks.
Busch got May off to a good start with a two-hit performance that raised his season batting average above .200. It's been a struggle so far for the first baseman, though he's been better lately with a .268/.375/.488 slash line across his last 10 games. Busch's slow start, combined with Nico Hoerner's hot start, compelled the Cubs to make the latter their primary leadoff hitter, but Hoerner exited Friday's contest with a neck issue. If he has to miss time, Busch is an option to bat first, at least against righties, which is something he did often in 2025.
