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24 articles
CHC • Pitcher • #72
1 day ago
Assad did a great job of keeping the Cubs in the game, giving up only a solo homer to MJ Melendez, but it might not stop the Cubs from sending him down Monday. Expectations are that Matthew Boyd will return to take Assad’s rotation spot next time through.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
7 days ago
This was a rough one. Assad served up a staggering 11 hits, including a pair of home runs to Kyle Schwarber. Pretty much the only positive here is that he was able to work into the middle innings to somewhat save Chicago’s bullpen. It was an unexpected meltdown after a strong season debut against the Rays last week. Assad figures to be the odd man out once Matthew Boyd (biceps) is ready to return from the injured list at some point next week. He remains in line to take the ball against the Mets on Sunday.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
13 days ago
Assad scattered one hit while striking out three and issuing a pair of walks during an impressive season debut in place of an injured Matthew Boyd (biceps). The 28-year-old righty carried a no-hit bid into the fifth inning before Rays speedster Chandler Simpson reached on an infield single to second base. Here’s an oversimplification: He’s not going back to Triple-A Iowa after this performance, especially with Cade Horton (elbow) set to miss the rest of the season. He’ll get the ball on Monday against the Phillies in a road matchup before facing the Mets to close out a two-start week. There’s some streaming appeal here in extremely deep mixed leagues.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
15 days ago
With Matthew Boyd (biceps) on the injured list, Assad will start on Tuesday in Tampa Bay. Even though it’s a solid matchup, Assad has allowed seven earned runs on 14 hits in seven innings at Triple-A this year with a 7/6 K/BB ratio. He should not be relied on in any fantasy formats.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
29 days ago
The team wants Assad to remain stretched out as a starter, so he will pitch in the rotation in Triple-A. This means that Ben Brown has made the Cubs’ Opening Day roster as a reliever. While the Cubs have not officially transitioned Brown to the bullpen, it likely remains the best fit for his skillset.
Source: Patrick Mooney
CHC • Pitcher • #72
about 1 month ago
The two big blows against Assad were 342- and 349-foot home runs. The 28-year-old’s velocity was again better than normal, and he threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 17 batters he faced. If Jarren Duran could have jumped a little higher on Vinnie Pasquantino’s first homer and Jon Berti’s had gone a foot to the right, it would have been a solid outing.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
about 2 months ago
Assad averaged 94.4 mph with his fastball today, which is up 2.2 mph from last year and 2.9 mph from when he started 29 games for the Cubs two years ago. It was just a one-day thing, either, as he was at 94.1 mph in his two spring outings. Assad has always been effective for the Cubs in spite of mediocre peripherals — he has a career 3.43 ERA with a 4.46 FIP, a 4.68 SIERA and a 4.76 xERA — and if the extra velocity sticks around, there’s a good chance he’ll be helpful again. It would just probably be as a middle reliever initially.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
about 2 months ago
Colin Rea, Ben Brown and Assad are competing to make the Cubs as middle relievers but also to be first into the rotation should anything happen, and all three pitched today. Rea opened up with three scoreless frames, Brown followed by striking out three in two scoreless innings and Assad then kept the Dodgers scoreless through the eighth. Of the group, Rea is a lock to have a roster spot and Brown is most likely to open up in Triple-A. Assad is probably better than 50/50 to have a spot, but it’d certainly help his chances if someone got hurt.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
3 months ago
Assad was a first-time arbitration eligible, so the option would cover his second year there. The 28-year-old Assad missed most of 2025, but he has a 3.43 ERA in 54 starts and 24 relief appearances for the Cubs since debuting in 2022. Alas, the missed time and the subpar peripherals have knocked him down the depth chart some, and he’ll enter camp no higher than seventh in line for the rotation. He could pitch out of the pen, but Triple-A is also a possibility.
Source: Jordan Bastian
CHC • Pitcher • #72
7 months ago
Assad punched out six opposing hitters on the night while issuing only one base on balls. Two of the three hits that he allowed went for extra bases, but the 28-year-old hurler was able to bear down and ensure that neither of those runners came around to score. He got 10 swings and misses on 79 pitches on the day, registering a CSW of 25 percent. Assad wraps up the 2025 season with a 4-1 record, 3.65 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and a 23/12 K/BB ratio over 37 innings in eight appearances (seven starts) with the Cubs.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
7 months ago
Assad tossed two scoreless frames, then gave up two runs on three hits in the third. Assad gave the Cubs one more scoreless inning, ending his day after four frames with two strikeouts on 74 pitches. The 28-year-old right-hander is in line to finish out the regular season with a matchup against the Cardinals in Chicago next weekend.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad wasn’t at his best but didn’t have to be with the Cubs giving him double-digit run support. The 28-year-old allowed only three hits, but he issued a pair of walks and gave up a two-run homer to Luis Garcia. Assad has been serviceable since rejoining the Chicago rotation, and he’ll pitch against Atlanta on Wednesday.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad was far from dominant, as he allowed seven hits and walked two while striking out a single batter. The 28-year-old was able to limit the damage outside of a two-run sixth, and he gets his first win of the 2025 season. Assad will remain in the rotation with the Jameson Taillon (groin) injury, and he’ll be back on the bump against the Nationals on Friday.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad will take the ball on Saturday against the Rockies at Coors Field in place of an injured Jameson Taillon (groin). The 28-year-old hurler has compiled a respectable 3.86 ERA across 14 innings (three starts) this season at the highest level. He’s not a recommended streaming option for fantasy given the location of the outing.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
The 28-year-old right-hander was terrific in Friday night’s victory over the Angels, giving up just one run over six innings against the Angels, so it’s a bit surprising that he’s not earning another start for the Cubs. Perhaps he’ll be back again next week if the Cubs need to place someone else on the injured list.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad’s return to the Chicago pitching staff was a good one. He allowed just two hits — one of them a solo homer — and he walked one and struck out four. The 28-year-old has likely earned another turn in the rotation Friday against the lowly Rockies.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad had just been optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Monday, but he’ll return to the Cubs with Ryan Brasier (groin) landing on the injured list. The 28-year-old right-hander will start for the Cubs on Friday evening against the Angels.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
This is surely disappointing for Assad, who probably figured he was going to lose his rotation spot with Jameson Taillon back but not his roster spot entirely. He had made two starts with a 5.63 ERA since returning from an oblique strain that cost him the first four months. It’s his first time being optioned since May 2023, when he was down for 12 days. The 27-year-old has a 3.46 ERA in 49 starts and 23 relief appearances since debuting in 2022.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad was making his second start back from the IL after giving up four runs in four innings Tuesday against the Blue Jays. The Cubs have a doubleheader Monday and no days off this week, so Assad will probably get another start against the Angels next weekend. However, he’s then likely to be bumped to middle relief with Jameson Taillon back.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Assad had very good velocity in his season debut, averaging 93.5 mph on the handful of fastballs he threw and 92.2 mph on his sinker. Last year, while he was on his way to a 9-9 record and a 3.73 ERA in 29 starts, his four-seamer averaged just 91.5 mph. Still, the improved velocity didn’t prevent him from giving up a three-run homer and seven other hits. He will likely wind up in the pen if Jameson Taillon is activated this weekend.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
8 months ago
Nate Pearson was sent down last night to make room. Assad, who will get the start against the Blue Jays tonight over the previously announced Ben Brown, is finally ready to go again after suffering an oblique strain in February and experiencing a setback while on a rehab assignment in April. He had allowed two earned runs over 11 innings in his three recent rehab starts.
CHC • Pitcher • #72
9 months ago
Assad struck out four and walked two while throwing 41 of his 68 pitches for strikes. He sat 93.2 mph on his sinker, which is the hardest he’s thrown all season and harder than he threw last year. He also seemed to have tweaked the movement profile on his changeup, added velocity and cutting drop, and is also throwing his slider two mph harder than he did last year. With Michael Soroka (shoulder) on the IL, Assad could be an option to replace him in the starting rotation.
PIT • Pitcher • #72
9 months ago
Rivas was signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent prior to the 2021 season. The 22-year-old infielder was slashing .264/.319/.458 with 18 homers, 71 RBI, four stolen bases and a 90/19 K/BB ratio over 384 plate appearances at High-A Greensboro. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs in his first taste of action at the Double-A level.
Source: Chase Ford
CHC • Pitcher • #72
9 months ago
Assad injured his oblique in spring training and then sustained a Grade 2 oblique strain in his April 22 outing while rehabbing with Triple-A Iowa. He is now ready to start up his second rehab assignment in the hopes of helping bolster the Cubs’ rotation down the stretch.
Source: MLB.com