Recapping Cubs injury issues as a 15th player hits the IL

Another day, another Chicago Cubs injury.

The team announced before the series finale in Atlanta on Wednesday that Keegan Thompson was placed on the 15-day injured list with a viral illness. Luke Little was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take his place on the active roster.

For those keeping track at home, Thompson is now the 15th member of the team to spend time on the IL this season.

The Cubs’ injury issues have been well-documented by now, but it’s still worth recapping how the injury bug has bit the squad about seven weeks into the season. With Thompson being No. 15 on the Cubs’ injury list, here are the other 14 players who’ve hit the IL at some point this year:

Currently injured:

• Adbert Alzolay went on the 15-day IL with a right forearm strain on Monday. Updates from reporters in Atlanta earlier this week said Alzolay was diagnosed with a right flexor strain, though the good news is the imaging revealed no structural damage. He’ll get some rest and treatment for a few days before being reassessed, which will hopefully provide more clarity on his return timetable, and he’ll hope to return with more success after struggling so far in 2024.
• Yency Almonte went on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder strain on Saturday (retroactive to May 8) after he didn’t recover well from his outing on May 7. Almonte had become one of the Cubs’ best relievers throughout the year as he’d taken on more high-leverage work, but Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters the team is hoping to have a better idea of his return schedule when they get back to Chicago.
• Dansby Swanson went on the 10-day IL on Friday (retroactive to May 8) with a right knee sprain. He’d been dealing with the issue since a slide on April 25 against the Astros, and though Swanson is someone who prides himself on being able to play every day, the Cubs eventually felt it necessary to put him on the shelf.
• Daniel Palencia went on the 15-day IL on May 7 with a right shoulder strain. Palencia said the injury occurred on the last pitch of the May 6 loss to the Padres. The Cubs were in the process of getting a clearer picture on the injury before the left on the roadtrip, and Counsell told reporters Tuesday that Palencia was getting close to starting a throwing program.
• Jordan Wicks went on the 15-day IL on April 28 with a left forearm strain after he was scratched from his scheduled start that day in Boston. Wicks first felt the issue while warming up for his start against Houston on April 23 but pitched through it, though when it persisted in the ensuing days, the Cubs opted to put him on the IL. He’s built up to throwing bullpens, and reports say he’ll throw live batting practice when the team gets back home.
• Drew Smyly went on the 15-day IL on April 23 (retroactive to April 22) with a right hip impingement, an issue that popped up during the Cubs’ road series in Arizona. Like Wicks, Smyly has also built up to throwing bullpens and is expected to throw live BP during the upcoming homestand.
• Julian Merryweather was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 17 after first hitting the IL on April 7 (retroactive to April 6) with a rib stress fracture in his back. Not eligible to be activated until June 5 at the earliest, there’s still no clear timetable for someone the Cubs expected to be one of their top bullpen arms.
• Caleb Kilian started the season on the 60-day IL with a right shoulder strain. Though he wasn’t expected to be on the Opening Day roster, Kilian’s injury — he left a spring training game with what was diagnosed as a strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder — was an early test of the Cubs’ pitching depth. He’s not expected to return to game action until July.

Previously injured:

• Kyle Hendricks returned Sunday against the Pirates after missing almost three weeks with a low back strain. Originally slated to make his third rehab start that day, Hendricks instead returned to limit Pittsburgh to one run over five innings, a big improvement from his 12.00 ERA through his first five starts.
• Seiya Suzuki was activated Friday after being on the shelf since April 15 with a right oblique strain. He got hurt running to first base when the team was in Seattle and missed the next 23 games, but after a brief rehab assignment, the Cubs were able to add one of their top bats back to the lineup.
• Cody Bellinger returned May 7 following a 13-day stint on the IL. He suffered two fractures to his right ribs when he jumped into the brick wall at Wrigley Field on April 23. Though the words “rib fractures” initially caused concern about a lengthy absence, Bellinger managed to return in less than two weeks.
• Justin Steele went down on Opening Day with a left hamstring strain, sitting out until he was activated on May 6. Though the rotation had been excellent in his absence, the Cubs were of course happy to welcome back their ace.
• Jameson Taillon began the year on the IL with a back strain, which had been an issue since he was scratched from his first start of Cactus League play back in spring training. Looking to build off a better second half in 2023, Taillon has looked strong since returning on April 19, posting a 1.61 ERA through five starts.
• Patrick Wisdom also started the year on the IL with a back strain, not appearing in a regular season game until April 19. A powerful right-handed bench bat, Wisdom has thrived in his role over the last month.

The Cubs have managed to more than stay afloat despite the injuries. They were 24-19 entering Wednesday, which left them 1 1/2 games back of the Brewers in the National League Central and solidly in NL wild card position.

But there’s no doubt the Cubs’ injury problems have had an effect. The offense had gone through its struggles in recent weeks — and hasn’t necessarily gotten out of them, really — while missing key bats. The bullpen has not only lost some of its own arms to injury, but some potential relievers have moved into the rotation throughout the year as starters have gone down.

This team still has playoff aspirations, and it has shown it can play to that level. The hope moving forward is the Cubs can get past their injury issues, get back to as close to full health as possible and continue to climb the standings.

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