Brown (neck) has been cleared for a normal offseason throwing program, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic report.
Brown's final appearance of the 2024 season came in early June, as he was eventually shut down with a benign area of concern in his neck. However, after recently undergoing a scan on his neck he has been given the go-ahead to proceed with his regular offseason routine. Brown could be in the mix for an Opening Day rotation spot with the Cubs.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Will have neck examined
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Brown will undergo a scan on his neck in mid-November, with the hope that he will be cleared to throw without restrictions this offseason, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Brown didn't pitch after early June this season due to a benign area of concern in his neck. The Cubs seem optimistic that he will head into spring training healthy, but they won't know for sure until the results of the exam are in. Brown split time between the rotation and bullpen with the Cubs in 2024, holding a 3.58 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 64:19 K:BB over 55.1 innings. If healthy, he would likely compete for a spot in the rotation in 2025.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Shut down from throwing
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Manager Craig Counsell said Monday that Brown (neck) has been shut down from throwing "for the time being," Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Brown continues to experience lingering discomfort in his neck that has kept him on the injured list since June 11. Counsell did note that the situation is not season-ending, and he expressed confidence that rest will be enough for Brown to recover, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Moved to 60-day IL
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The Cubs transferred Brown (neck) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Christian Bethancourt. Brown now isn't eligible for activation until mid-August, but he hadn't seemed likely to return before then.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Resuming mound work
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Brown (neck) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Brown had to be shut down again just before the All-Star break due to lingering discomfort in his neck, but he appears to be feeling better. The right-hander hasn't made a game appearance in six weeks, so he's going to need several rehab outings before becoming an option for the Cubs again.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Still experiencing symptoms
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Brown is still experiencing lingering discomfort in his neck, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Brown has been shelved since mid-June with a neck strain and doesn't appear to have made much progress. He had been cleared to resume throwing in late June, but it's uncertain where he currently stands in his throwing program.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Could be nearing mound work
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday that he's hopeful that Brown (neck) will be cleared to resume throwing off a mound at some point later this week, MLB.com reports.
Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list June 11 with a left neck strain, only for reports to surface a few days later suggesting that the right-hander might be dealing with a stress reaction. After the Cubs sought out multiple medical opinions, however, the original diagnosis of a neck strain has held up, and Brown was cleared to resume throwing last Tuesday. According to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, Brown played catch three times this past week and threw from 90 feet Friday, leaving Counsell optimistic that the rookie may be ready to take another meaningful step forward this week by getting back on the mound. Montemurro notes that Brown was told when he received his diagnosis that he was about one month into what's described as a "two-to-three-month burnout period" for the neck injury, though that timeline won't affect his potential return date from the IL and only relates to how long he might be physically feeling the effects of the injury. Assuming Brown is able to complete a bullpen session this week, he would still likely have a chance at completing his throwing progression and returning from the IL before the All-Star break.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Resumes playing catch
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Brown (neck) resumed throwing Tuesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Brown landed on the 15-day injured list June 11 with what the Cubs labeled as a stress reaction to the left side of his neck. Counsell said that the pain in Brown's neck is already subsiding, and the fact that the right-hander is throwing again bodes well for his chances of avoiding an extended absence. Jordan Wicks (oblique) was placed on the IL just four days after Brown, so the Cubs have turned back to Kyle Hendricks as their No. 5 starter in the meantime.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Hitting IL with neck strain
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Brown will be placed on the injured list with a left neck strain, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Brown has been dealing with the strain over the last few weeks and will head back to Chicago to undergo more testing. The severity of the injury is unclear but we should learn more in the coming days. Jordan Wicks is the primary candidate to take Brown's spot in the rotation, while Colten Brewer (back) should join the bullpen after being reinstated from the 15-day IL.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Gives up two homers in loss
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Brown (1-3) took the loss to the Reds on Saturday, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk while striking out three over four innings.
Brown gave up multiple home runs in a game for the first time in his young career. Jeimer Candelario took him deep in the first inning and then TJ Friedl got him for the go-ahead homer in the third. The rookie right-hander has now given up eight runs in his last two starts after a stellar showing of seven no-hit innings against the Brewers on May 28. Brown will take a 3.58 ERA into his next start, currently slated for next weekend against the Cardinals.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Tosses seven no-hit innings
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Brown didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the Brewers, allowing no hits and two walks across seven scoreless innings. He struck out 10
Brown was exceptional Tuesday, notching a career high in strikeouts and carrying a perfect game into the fifth inning when he walked Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick. Although Brown has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen this season, he's yielded one hit and four walks with 16 Ks across 11.0 innings during this stint as a starter -- an impressive stretch that could result in Brown sticking in the rotation long term. For now, Brown's expected to retake the mound Sunday against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Receiving another start
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Brown is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Brewers at American Family Field.
Brown made his fifth start of the season and his first since May 2 in his last appearance Thursday versus Atlanta, striking out six over four scoreless innings while working around one hit and two walks. Because he had been working out of the bullpen over the preceding three weeks and took the mound versus Atlanta on three days' rest, Brown had his workload monitored carefully, as he was pulled after 66 pitches despite mowing down the opposing lineup. Brown should be able to provide the Cubs with more length when he takes the hill Tuesday, but his run in the Chicago rotation may not last much longer, with Jordan Wicks (forearm) nearing a return from the 15-day injured list.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Drawing start Thursday
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Brown will start Thursday's game against Atlanta at Wrigley Field, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Brown will pick up his fifth start of the season, filling the spot in the rotation that belonged to Kyle Hendricks before the veteran right-hander was moved to the bullpen earlier this week. Because he hasn't started since May 2 and will be pitching on three days' rest after covering two frames in relief Sunday, Brown may not be asked to give the Cubs more than three or four innings as he re-enters the rotation. Hendricks hasn't been used since his last start Friday and could be called upon to piggyback Brown, but Counsell hasn't outlined his plans for when Brown exits the contest. Brown may not be in line for a lengthy stay in the rotation, as the Cubs could get Jordan Wicks (forearm) back from the injured list next week to take over as their No. 5 starter.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Headed to bullpen or Triple-A
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Brown isn't slated to start for the Cubs in their three-game series against the Padres that begins Monday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Hayden Wesneski looks to have beaten out Brown for the fifth-starter spot, at least until Kyle Hendricks (back) gets activated from the 15-day injured list. Brown had a 5.40 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 8.1 innings over his last two starts. He doesn't have great numbers this season as a reliever (7.27 ERA, 1.50 WHIP), so perhaps Brown will join the Triple-A Iowa rotation once Justin Steele (hamstring) is activated Monday.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Lasts just 3.2 innings in start
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Brown (0-1) was saddled with the loss Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings against the Red Sox. He struck out four.
Tyler O'Neill clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning to getting the scoring started in what turned out to be a blowout victory for Boston. Brown threw an inning of relief on Tuesday, which likely contributed to him being pulled after 61 pitches. The rookie's usage has been erratic and unusual, but the results had been pretty good prior to this outing. If Brown gets another start -- which wouldn't appear to be guaranteed -- it will likely come either on the road against the Mets or at home versus the Brewers.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Heads to bullpen
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Brown worked in relief in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday in the Cubs' 5-3 win over the Marlins, striking out three over two scoreless innings while allowing two hits and no walks.
Though he gave up just one earned run over 10.2 innings while making his last two appearances as a starter, Brown lost his spot in the rotation after Jameson Taillon (back) made his return from the 15-day injured list Friday. According to Kyle Williams of the Chicago Sun-Times, manager Craig Counsell said after the doubleheader that he expects Brown to "make a lot of starts for us" this season, but the rookie right-hander looks like he'll have to settle for a bullpen role for now despite his early success in the rotation.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Produces quality start
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Brown allowed one run on a hit and two walks over six innings in a no-decision Monday. He struck out four in the Cubs' win over Arizona.
After coughing up an RBI single in the second inning, Brown retired the final 13 batters he faced. He was crushed for six runs through just 1.2 frames in his MLB debut March 30 but has since given up just two runs over 14.2 innings. With Monday's solid outing, he dropped his ERA to 4.41 with a 15:6 K:BB through his first four appearances. With Jameson Taillon (back) expected to return in the coming days, Brown's role with the Cubs isn't set in stone.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Awarded second start
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Brown is scheduled to start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.
Though Jameson Taillon (back) looks to be in line to return from the 15-day injured list later this week to join the Chicago rotation, Brown will get at least one more turn on the heels of a strong first MLB start April 9 in San Diego. After making his first two appearances in bulk relief, Brown covered 4.2 innings in his start versus the Padres and struck out five while allowing zero runs on three hits and one walk. Another solid effort Monday against the reigning National League champions could make it tough for the Cubs to justify keeping Brown out of the rotation, even with Taillon's return being imminent.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Slated to start Tuesday
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The Cubs list Brown as their probable starting pitcher for Tuesday's game in San Diego.
Brown pitched out of the bullpen in his first two appearances with the Cubs, so Tuesday's start will be the first of his major-league career. The 24-year-old struggled mightily in his MLB debut, allowing six runs in 1.2 innings against the Rangers, but he bounced back with four innings of one-run ball against the Rockies last week. Brown impressed in spring training and looks promising in the long term, but he will be a high-risk option against a Padres team that ranks second in scoring offense so far this season behind only the Dodgers.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Fans five in bulk-relief role
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Brown pitched four innings against Colorado on Wednesday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out five batters. He did not factor in the decision.
Brown was blown up in his first big-league outing last weekend, allowing six runs in 1.2 innings against Texas. He was much better in his second appearance, racking up five punchouts in four frames while allowing just one run. He served as a bulk reliever in the contest, following opener Luke Little's one inning of work, and was in line for the win before the Cubs' bullpen blew a late lead. Despite that lost opportunity, this was an excellent bounce-back for Brown, and it will likely result in him getting another chance to pitch the next time the injured Justin Steele's (hamstring) spot comes up in the rotation, though it's unclear if Brown will work in bulk relief again or move into a traditional starting role.
