Chicago Cubs’ Jameson Taillon pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. Frank Franklin II/AP Photos NEW YORK — About 10 months ago in the Bronx, Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon had a breakthrough start against the Yankees. On Monday in Queens, he continued to build off the turnaround he authored in the second half of last season, holding up his end of a fierce pitching battle. In the Cubs’ 3-1 victory against the Mets to open the series, Taillon went toe-to-toe with right-hander Luis Severino. He limited the Mets ..read more

Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele signs autographs for fans before the team’s home opener against the Colorado Rockies Monday, April 1, 2024, in Chicago. He has been on the IL for most of the season so far. Erin Hooley/AP Photos NEW YORK — The Cubs got some good injury news Monday, a nice change of pace for a team that has key contributors in all phases of the game on the injured list. The Cubs are targeting ‘‘later this week’’ for right-hander Kyle Hendricks (strained lower back) to make his first rehab start since landing on the 15-day IL last week, manager Craig Counsell said. Hendri ..read more

MLB will update its new Nike uniforms, which have been severely criticized by players. Michael Dwyer/AP Major League Baseball plans to modify its Nike uniforms by the start of the 2025 season following complaints this spring from players and fans, according to a report from ESPN. The changes will include restoring larger lettering on the nameplates and correcting for mismatched gray tops and bottoms, pants that are sometimes see-through and fabric that looks different when players sweat. The changes were detailed in a memo distributed to players by the MLB Players Association on Sunday a ..read more

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Boston. Michael Dwyer/AP Photos BOSTON — When Cubs manager Craig Counsell told right-hander Hayden Wesneski on Saturday that he was going to start the next day in place of injured Jordan Wicks, Wesneski said: “My job is to get the first guy out.” Counsell thought that was a good way to approach the task. “It’s not to think about, ‘I’ve got to get five innings or six innings,’ ’’ Counsell said. “It’s just, get the first guy out, then move o ..read more

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ben Brown (32) leaves the field after being relieved by manager Craig Counsell, center right, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Boston. Michael Dwyer/AP Photos BOSTON – A trio of Cubs corner infielders converged on the mound, choreographing a change of positions and gloves, searching for some way to end what would become a 17-0 loss to the Red Sox on Saturday. The moment summed up exactly how lopsided the game became, as the Cubs used two different position players as pitchers in the eighth i ..read more

Boston Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida, left, talks with Chicago Cubs third baseman Christopher Morel (5) after advancing on a single by Ceddanne Rafaela during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Boston. Michael Dwyer/AP Photos BOSTON — Cubs third baseman Christopher Morel and left fielder Alexander Canario converged while chasing a fly ball next to the wall down the left-field line Saturday. At the last second, Morel vaulted over Canario and snagged the ball out of the air. He landed hard, banging his right hip and both his elbows. But he somehow he held on to ..read more

The Cubs’ Dansby Swanson celebrates with manager Craig Counsell after scoring against the Boston Red Sox on Friday at Fenway Park. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images BOSTON — Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer pointed out to center field, where the Fenway Park wall comes to a point, and Pete Crow-Armstrong’s gaze followed the gesture. “That triangle is so unbelievably deep,” Hoyer explained later. The decal on the wall indicates that it’s 420 feet. Wrigley Field, by comparison, is 400 feet to center field. Crow-Armstrong was roaming Fenway’s unique center field for the first time in ..read more

Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga throws against the Boston Red Sox on Friday. Michael Dwyer/AP BOSTON — Cubs vice president of pro scouting Andrew Bassett dropped a book with Japanese characters across the cover on president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer’s desk Thursday. Hoyer couldn’t read it. The pages inside were in Japanese, too. But he learned it was left-hander Shota Imanaga’s book on pitching. “It shows you that's what he's like,” Hoyer said before the Cubs’ 7-1 win against the Red Sox on Friday. “He's very thoughtful. Obviously he has the nickname of the Pitching Philo ..read more

Chicago Cubs’ broadcaster Harry Caray sings “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch at Chicago’s Wrigley Field in 1989. John Swart/AP Photos My. My. My. What a week! A parade of headlines featuring Donald Trump's political shenanigans, porn stars, “cash-and-kill” checkbook journalism, student protest arrests, unsafe cars and two wars. Holy Cow! Time to lighten it up a bit and enjoy a bit of Chicago levity heading our way next week via the late legendary sportsman Harry Caray’s familiar “bovine” burst of surprise. Harry claimed it kept him from … swearing. And appa ..read more

Nico Hoerner #2, Pete Crow-Armstrong #52 and Nick Madrigal #1 of the Chicago Cubs celebrate after defeating the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field on April 25, 2024, in Chicago. Michael Reaves/Getty The Cubs have battled a rash of injuries early in the season, but they improved to a 16-9 record with a 3-1 win Thursday against the cellar-dwelling Astros. Even with two of their best hitters in Seiya Suzuki (strained right oblique) and Cody Bellinger (right rib fracture), two starting pitchers in Justin Steele (strained left hamstring) and Kyle Hendricks (strained low back), and two reliable r ..read more