The Cubs declined their part of a $5 million mutual option with Boxberger (forearm) on Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Boxberger will get an $800,000 buyout as he moves into free agency. The veteran reliever logged only 5.1 major-league innings in the second half of the 2023 season due to nagging forearm issues, but he compiled a 3.15 ERA over 141 appearances with Milwaukee the prior two years and could be a bounce-back candidate for a team seeking bullpen help.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: To resume throwing in November
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Boxberger (forearm) is expected to resume throwing in mid-November, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Boxberger made only five relief appearances with the Cubs in the second half of the 2023 campaign because of forearm troubles, but he should be able to enjoy a relatively normal offseason. The veteran right-hander carries a $5 million mutual option (or $800,000 buyout) for 2024.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Placed on injured list
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The Cubs placed Boxberger on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right forearm strain, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Boxberger already missed nearly four months earlier this year due to a forearm injury, and his latest trip to the injured list will keep him out for the rest of the regular season and the first part of a potential Cubs playoff run. Keegan Thompson was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to fill Boxberger's spot in the bullpen.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Activated from 60-day IL
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Boxberger (forearm) was activated from the 60-day injured list Friday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Boxberger has been sidelined since mid-May with a right forearm strain but is finally ready to rejoin the Cubs' bullpen after making eight rehab appearances, the last four of which were scoreless. He could be eased back into a high-leverage role but eventually should work as a setup man.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Making seventh rehab appearance
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Boxberger (forearm) is scheduled to make another rehab appearance Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The appearance will be the seventh overall of Boxberger's rehab assignment and his fourth in a row for Iowa, with whom he's given up two earned runs on three hits and two walks across two innings through his first three outings. If Boxberger checks out fine following Wednesday's appearance, the Cubs could look to bring him back from the 60-day injured list when the active roster expands to 28 players Friday. Once activated, Boxberger will likely handle a middle-innings role out of the Cubs' bullpen.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Starting rehab assignment
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Boxberger (forearm) will start a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
He has faced hitters in live batting practice and is ready to begin pitching in games. Boxberger has been on the shelf with a forearm strain since mid-May, so he could require a longer rehab stint than the typical reliever, but he will likely make it back before the end of the month if he avoids setbacks.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Ready to face hitters
Rotowire
Boxberger (forearm) will throw a live batting practice session Tuesday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Boxberger tossed several bullpen sessions in late July, and he's now ready to move on to the next phase of his throwing program. If all goes well Tuesday, Boxberger may be cleared to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Boxberger has been stuck on the injured list since May 15 while recovering from a right forearm strain.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Another bullpen session
Rotowire
Boxberger (forearm) is set to throw another bullpen session Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Boxberger could advance to live batting practice or perhaps even a minor-league rehab assignment if Friday's workout goes smoothly. He originally landed on the injured list in mid-May because of a right forearm strain and then suffered a setback in late June. The veteran reliever is trending toward returning to the Cubs' bullpen around mid-August.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Resumes mound work
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Boxberger (forearm) is throwing a bullpen session Tuesday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.
This is his first mound workout since he suffered a setback in late June. On the shelf since mid-May, Boxberger could be an option again for the Cubs' bullpen sometime in August if he is able to avoid further complications.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Ready for mound work
Rotowire
Boxberger (forearm) is expected to begin throwing bullpen sessions during the upcoming week, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Boxberger started his throwing program at the Cubs' spring training facility in Arizona earlier this month and has been in the process of gradually stretching out his long-toss distance off flat ground over the past three weeks. He now looks like he's ready to move on to the next phase of his rehab by stepping back on the mound. After a week of throwing off the mound, Boxberger could then be cleared to face hitters in live batting practice before he heads out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Boxberger has been on the shelf since May 15 with a strained right forearm.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Resumes throwing program
Rotowire
Boxberger (forearm) resumed throwing Tuesday in Arizona, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Boxberger was recently transferred to the 60-day injured list, but he's finally making progress in his recovery from the right forearm strain that originally sent him to the 15-day injured list in mid-May. The veteran reliever could be an option again for the Cubs' bullpen mix around the end of July.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Transferred to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Boxberger (forearm) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster. It doesn't change Boxberger's timetable, as he'll be eligible to return at the start of the second half. Whether he is activated at that time isn't clear.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Throws live batting practice
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Boxberger (forearm) threw live batting practice Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Boxberger is currently working out at the Cubs' spring training complex in Arizona and could soon be cleared to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment. The reliever has been sidelined since mid-May due to a right forearm strain.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Another bullpen set
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Boxberger (forearm) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Boxberger will head to the Cubs' spring training facility to throw his second bullpen session in the last week. It's unclear how much longer he'll need to ramp up before returning to game action, though he is expected to go on at least a brief rehab assignment before being activated.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: To throw bullpen Wednesday
Rotowire
Boxberger (forearm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Boxberger has been cleared to begin throwing off a mound as he works his way back from a mid-May diagnosis of a right forearm strain. He could be ready to return to the Cubs' bullpen around mid-to-late June if all goes well from this point forward.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Playing catch Monday
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Boxberger (forearm) will play catch again Monday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Tests on Boxberger's right forearm came back negative for structural damage and he's slowly ramping things back up with a game of catch for the second day in a row. He'll progress to the mound and will probably need a rehab appearance or two before rejoining the Cubs' bullpen.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: No structural damage in arm
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Cubs manager David Ross said Tuesday that imaging scans showed no structural damage in Boxberger's right arm, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
"I don't think it's going to be a super long thing or have to deal with surgery as of now," said Ross. Boxberger will be shut down from throwing for a bit, but he should be an option again for the Cubs' bullpen within the next month or so. He was placed on the injured list last week with what was originally called a right forearm strain.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Takes first loss
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Boxberger (0-1) was charged with the loss Thursday against the Nationals after he gave up a walkoff home run to the first batter he faced.
The veteran right-hander entered for the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied 3-3, and Alex Call took him deep on the first pitch to end the game. It's just the third time in 13 outings that Boxberger has been scored upon, and he has a 4.09 ERA and a 9:6 K:BB in 11 frames. He's tallied just two saves but should still have a clear leg up on Michael Fulmer for closing duties.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Picks up second save Thursday
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Boxberger worked around a walk to pitch a scoreless ninth inning and earn the save in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Padres.
Outside of allowing three runs in a rough appearance Saturday, Boxberger has been pretty solid, and he now has a 3.60 ERA and a team-leading two saves. Michael Fulmer has struggled with a 7.84 ERA and 1.84 WHIP, so it seems like Boxberger could be pulling away in the battle for closing duties. The veteran righty is certainly the Chicago reliever to target in fantasy at the moment, and he gets a boost with the Cubs playing well at 14-10.
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Cubs' Brad Boxberger: Secures first save
Rotowire
Boxberger tossed a scoreless inning to earn a save over the Dodgers on Sunday. He allowed one hit and struck out three batters.
Boxberger worked around a two-out single to finish off the 3-2 victory in dominant fashion. He's now sporting a 1.42 ERA and a 7:2 K:BB through 6.1 frames after converting his first save chance. Boxberger could be in line for more ninth-inning work; Michael Fulmer blew his last two save chances and pitched a scoreless eighth inning Sunday.
