Kilian tossed five scoreless innings but did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Reds. He allowed three hits and two walks while striking out four.
Kilian just made his season debut for the Cubs on Monday, allowing six runs (five earned) over 5.2 innings, but he looked much sharper Sunday in the last game of the year. The 27-year-old righty pitched well for Triple-A Iowa earlier this season, compiling a 3.22 ERA across 44.2 innings, and he could compete for a rotation spot with Chicago next spring. Kilian has a career 9.22 ERA at the MLB level, however, so his fantasy upside may be limited.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Starting season finale
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Kilian will start Sunday's game against the Reds, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Kilian allowed six runs (five earned) over 5.2 innings during his season debut Monday, but the Cubs will give him the ball to start their final game of the 2024 season. The 27-year-old righty has been solid in Triple-A to the tune of a 3.22 ERA, but his 11.28 career ERA in the big leagues makes him an unappealing streaming option.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Takes loss in 2024 debut
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Kilian (0-1) took the loss Monday, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and four walks over 5.2 innings against the Phillies. He struck out three.
Kilian was called up earlier in the day and then tossed 5.2 innings in a bulk-relief role. It was his first major-league appearance of 2024 after having appeared in six big-league contests over the previous two seasons. Kilian has now allowed 28 earned runs across 22.1 career big-league innings.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Receives promotion
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The Cubs recalled Kilian from Triple-A Iowa on Monday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Right-hander Nate Pearson is serving as the Cubs' opening pitcher for Monday's game in Philadelphia, but he's likely to cover only an inning or two before turning the contest over to the bullpen. Kilian will be available out of the bullpen and may end up taking on a bulk-relief role for the Cubs, as his final start with Iowa came six days earlier. Kilian made three appearances (one start) for the Cubs in 2023 but has pitched exclusively in the minors in 2024, turning in a 3.22 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 38:14 K:BB over 44.2 innings with Iowa.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Hits two innings in third rehab start
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Kilian (shoulder) struck out two over two perfect innings in his rehab start Tuesday with High-A South Bend.
Kilian tossed 21 pitches in the outing while the Cubs continue to ease the right-hander along slowly as he makes his way back from a teres major strain in his right shoulder, an injury that has sidelined him since early March. The 27-year-old will likely require at least three more rehab starts to get fully stretched out for a traditional starter's workload, so he may not be activated until late July or early August. Once Kilian is reinstated, the Cubs could elect to option him to Triple-A Iowa, if the big club doesn't have an opening in its rotation.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Beginning rehab assignment
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Kilian (shoulder) is starting a rehab assignment Tuesday at High-A South Bend, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Kilian will start up a rehab assignment Tuesday, pitching in game conditions for the first time since straining his shoulder in spring training. The 27-year-old has been progressing well, getting up to 32 pitches in a bullpen session in mid-June before facing live hitters June 25. He could be cleared for activation before August.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Throws off mound
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Kilian (shoulder) threw a 32-pitch bullpen session Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
It would appear to be the first time he's thrown off a mound since being diagnosed in early March with a teres major strain in his right shoulder. Kilian, who is on the 60-day injured list, figures to need a lengthy rehab assignment once he's deemed ready. Further, it isn't a given that he will be added to the big-league roster once he's off the IL.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Diagnosed with teres major strain
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Kilian will be sidelined until around the All-Star break after an MRI revealed a teres major strain in his right shoulder, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Counsell noted that it's the type of injury which can have varying timelines, but Kilian isn't expected to be pitching anytime soon. The loss of Kilian is a hit to the team's starting pitching depth, as he was likely slated to open the season in the Triple-A Iowa rotation.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Looks sharp in spring opener
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Kilian logged two scoreless innings with two strikeouts in Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.
Kilian was the third pitcher to appear in the contest for the Cubs and he looked sharp. The righty has appeared in six games (four starts) for Chicago over the past two years and could be in the running for a bullpen role this spring if he pitches well. Kilian doesn't seem like a realistic option for a rotation spot at this point, though he could be on the radar for spot starts when needed.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Optioned back to Iowa
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The Cubs optioned Kilian to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Kilian has surrendered 10 earned runs in just 5.1 innings of work this season at the major-league level. Michael Rucker will join Chicago's bullpen Tuesday in a corresponding roster move.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Promoted Sunday
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Kilian was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
The 26-year-old made a spot start for the Cubs in late April but was sent back to Triple-A after he surrendered seven runs across 3.1 innings. Kilian has continued to work as a starter at Iowa and has a 3.97 ERA over 88.1 innings, but he'll likely work out of the bullpen for Chicago.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Lined up for spot start
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Kilian threw a bullpen session Thursday and isn't listed among Triple-A Iowa probable starting pitchers this weekend, suggesting he could be called up to make a spot start for the Cubs on Saturday in Miami, Tommy Birch of The Des Moines Register reports.
The Cubs require a new fifth starter this week with Jameson Taillon (groin) recently moving to the injured list, and all signs point to Kilian getting the first chance to replace him. After being lit up for eight earned runs in his 2023 debut for Iowa on April 2, Kilian rebounded nicely over his most recent two outings, logging a 1.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across nine innings. In lieu of a start, Kilian threw a simulated game at Iowa a few days ago to stay sharp, so he should be able to provide the Cubs with a decent amount of length if he does in fact get the call to the big leagues Saturday.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Optioned to minors
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Kilian was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
He allowed one run on two hits while striking out two over four innings in two appearances this spring. Kilian will work on putting the finishing touches on his development at Triple-A while he awaits another opportunity in the big-league rotation at some point this summer.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Mixed results back in Triple-A
Rotowire
Kilian has put up a 4.72 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 48:19 K:BB across 34.1 innings (eight starts) since returning to Triple-A.
That's not exactly the stat line you want to see from your most advanced pitching prospect after his first taste of the majors, but Kilian has never been a super-high-upside arm. The 25-year-old's season-long WHIP in Triple-A is a poor 1.40, and while Kilian has shown notable strikeout ability, he hasn't pitched deep into games very often and is walking far too many batters. The Cubs are still treating him as a potential starter in the long run, but there's relief risk here.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Returns to Triple-A
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Kilian was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The 25-year-old surrendered seven runs (five earned) over 2.1 innings Monday and will now make his way back to the minors. Kilian is Chicago's top pitching prospect, but he struggled across his first three starts in the majors with a 10.32 ERA, 2.03 WHIP and 9:12 K:BB in 11.1 innings.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Struggles with command Monday
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Kilian (0-2) allowed seven runs (five earned) on three hits across 2.1 innings to take the loss Monday against the Pirates. He walked five and struck out three.
Kilian couldn't find the plate Monday, as he walked five of the 15 batters he faced and also uncorked a wild pitch. Through 11.1 innings so far this season, the 25-year-old now has 11 walks. Kilian is considered the Cubs' top pitching prospect, though it seems like he still needs some refinement before taking off at the MLB level. For now, he's slated to start again Saturday against the Cardinals, but he may return to Triple-A Iowa at some point.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Remains in rotation
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Kilian is listed as the Cubs' starting pitcher for Monday's game in Pittsburgh.
Even though the rookie has been roughed up for eight earned runs while issuing seven walks in nine innings between his first two big-league starts, manager David Ross intimated after Kilian's most recent outing June 15 against the Padres that the right-hander would be part of the rotation moving forward. Whether Kilian sticks around as a starter once the likes of Marcus Stroman (shoulder), Wade Miley (shoulder) and Drew Smyly (oblique) return from the 15-day injured list is still undetermined, but the 25-year-old should get at least two more starts to prove he belongs in the big leagues.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Called up ahead of start
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Kilian's contract was selected from Triple-A Iowa ahead of his start in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
Kilian is a top prospect in the organization and will make his major-league debut during Saturday's nightcap. The right-hander has been effective in Iowa early in 2022, posting a 2.06 ERA, 41:15 K:BB and 1.28 WHIP in 39.1 innings. Although the 25-year-old needed some time to establish his mid-90s fastball velocity this year, he'll now get a chance to prove himself with the big-league club. If he impresses during Saturday's start, it wouldn't be surprising to see him remain in the rotation.
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Cubs' Caleb Kilian: Opening at Triple-A
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Kilian, the Cubs' top pitching prospect, will open the year at Triple-A Iowa, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.
The headliner in the return from San Francisco for Kris Bryant and the MVP of the Arizona Fall League championship game, Kilian hadn't pitched in big-league spring training, so it's good to hear that he's healthy and ready for the minor-league season. The Cubs' rotation lacks viable depth, so Kilian could get the call to the majors sometime this summer.
