Chicago Cubs Get Brutal Injury News on Wednesday

The Chicago Cubs prepare to wrap up their three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field, with first pitch set for 2:40 p.m. CDT.

Chicago took the opener in decisive fashion, blanking Arizona 7-0 on Monday. The Diamondbacks responded Tuesday with a 5-4 victory that evened the set heading into the finale.

Before Wednesday’s contest, Cubs manager Craig Counsell delivered concerning news regarding right-hander Ben Brown.

Reporter Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune shared the update on social media, noting the pitcher experienced symptoms related to a stress reaction in his neck.

The issue surfaced toward the end of Brown’s live batting practice session the previous day and grew worse as time went on.It marks a return of the same problem that has sidelined him. Brown will return to Chicago with the team for further evaluation.

Counsell spoke out about the injury.

“It’s gonna slow it down in some way,” he said.

Brown has remained on the injured list since June 24 after initially being diagnosed with a neck strain.

Prior to the injury, the right-hander put together a strong stretch of work. He carried a 1.85 ERA and 0.94 WHIP while recording 65 strikeouts over 68 innings in 20 appearances, including eight starts.In 2025, Brown logged 106 1/3 innings. He threw 55 1/3 innings the season before that.

Across three major league campaigns, he owns a 4.15 ERA with 250 strikeouts in 229 2/3 innings. Last postseason he contributed two scoreless frames and three strikeouts in his lone appearance.

The Cubs enter the day having dropped six of their previous 10 games. They also dropped two of three against the Seattle Mariners in the series that preceded this Arizona trip.

Chicago currently sits as the top National League wild-card club with a 76-57 record. The team holds a three-game cushion over the second wild-card Philadelphia Phillies.

In the NL Central standings, the Cubs trail the first-place Milwaukee Brewers by 5 1/2 games. Milwaukee holds an 81-51 mark.

After Wednesday’s series closer, Chicago has Thursday off. The club then returns home to Wrigley Field on Friday to open a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds.

Brown’s setback adds another layer of uncertainty to the pitching staff as the Cubs push through the final stretch of the regular season. The organization will monitor his condition closely once evaluations take place back in Chicago.

Fans following the club know how valuable the right-hander’s contributions have been when healthy. His ability to miss bats and limit baserunners provided a boost earlier this year.

The series finale offers an opportunity for the Cubs to claim the set and build some positive momentum before heading home. Arizona will look to complete the comeback and take two of three.

Counsell and his staff continue managing the roster carefully amid the late-summer schedule. The coming days will reveal more about Brown’s timeline and any adjustments needed in the rotation or bullpen.