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After winning 5 straight games, the Chicago Cubs are getting a boost to their starting rotation. Jordan Wicks will return to the mound on Sunday against the Nationals. The left hander has injured since June thanks to an oblique strain.
A lot has changed since Wicks went down. The Cubs were circling the drain on a disastrous first half of the season. Now lurking for a wild card spot, there is renewed vigor in getting the job done.
Now with another arm at Craig Counsell's disposal, the Cubs are as healthy as they are ever going to be. It should bode well in giving rest to a bullpen that has been lights out in the second half.
The #Cubs activated LHP Jordan Wicks from the 60-day IL today and recalled INF Miles Mastrobuoni from @IowaCubs.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 1, 2024
To make room on the 40-man roster, the team today recalled INF Nick Madrigal and placed him on the 60-day IL with a left pinky fracture. pic.twitter.com/eJxcehSl9E
2024 has been lots of starting and stops for Wicks. An elbow issue bothered him in May and the oblique strain took a big chunk out of his season. All the lefty can do now is to finish strong and hopefully help the Cubs make the postseason.
A 4.18 ERA shouldn't tell the full story for Wicks' season. There is still a lot of excitement that the team can be hopeful about The Cubs are certainly better off when he is healthy and able to contribute to the rotation.
The Cubs are getting reinforcements just in time. While it remains to be seen if it's going to be enough, the team is at least closing the 2024 season on a better note than it could have been.
Wicks will look to continue the team's winning ways by taking the mound on his 25th birthday. It'll be up to the offense to provide the presents to finish the job in Washington.
More must-reads:
- Yankees eyeing Rockies one-time All-Star as backup plan at third base
- Four teams that should be sellers at the trade deadline
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Yankees Top Trade Partners Make Deadline Decision
With just a week to go before the July 31 trade deadline passes, the New York Yankees should now have a better idea of how one of their top potential trade partners plans to operate in the coming days. Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Arizona Diamondbacks have told opposing clubs that they intend on moving some of their veteran players. The degree to which they sell is still up for debate, however, and will be determined by several factors. "The number of deals the DBacks complete before next Thursday’s trade deadline will hinge on a variety of factors," Rosenthal wrote. "The level of interest in their players. Whether the proposals they receive for their qualifying-offer candidates exceeds the potential draft-pick compensation. The assessment of club officials about the team’s ability to compete for the third wild-card spot." Eugenio Suárez, Arizona's All-Star third baseman who has posted 36 home runs and a .918 OPS this season in a contract year, is perhaps the top position player available and has been regularly connected to the Yankees given the club's need at the hot corner. Rosenthal noted that the Diamondbacks have scouted the Yankees' farm system amidst their interest in the 34-year-old. "The Diamondbacks, according to a source, are scouting the minor-league systems of at least some of the teams interested in Suárez," he wrote. "Those teams, according to sources and published reports, include the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners." Right-handed starting pitchers Zac Gallen (5.58 ERA in 121 innings) and Merrill Kelly (3.32 ERA in 122 innings), both of whom are rentals like Suárez, may also catch New York's eye as it looks to fortify the rotation behind All-Star lefties Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. Arizona came into the year with aspirations of contending in a loaded National League, but season-ending injuries to ace Corbin Burnes and closer Justin Martinez have spelled trouble for the club. The Diamondbacks are currently 50-53 and sit 5 1/2 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the NL. Suárez being dealt is a near certainty, which bodes well for the Yankees, but Arizona's performance over the next week will ultimately establish how many veterans the team ships off before the deadline. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Yankees Pursuing Pirates All-Star Outfielder Analyst Proposes Wild Yankees, Pirates Trade MLB Insider Makes Brutal Yankees Prediction MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor
Canucks Reportedly Interested in Former Third-Overall Pick as Another Young Player Could Leave the Team
The Canucks are reportedly quite interested in Ducks' Mason McTavish, this news coming after one of their young NCAA players, Jackson Kunz, could leave the team. With $3.25 million of free cap space now available after Dakota Joshua was sent to Toronto, the Vancouver Canucks and GM Patrik Allvin have room to add a significant piece, and it seems that they may be after a former third overall choice. Vancouver is interested in Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, a restricted free agent, reports The Province's Patrick Johnston. 'Hence their continued interest in Roslovic, as well as their interest in Mason McTavish, the Anaheim Ducks' restricted free agent. Of course adding McTavish, the third-overall pick in the 2021 draft, will be very hard: he's a highly-regarded player with huge upside and will cost a big price in trade, perhaps more than the Canucks can afford.' Johnston said. It won't be an easy feat to get him due to asset limitations and Anaheim's stance on his next deal, but the 22-year-old would be a perfect fit as the Canucks' second-line center. After playing his inaugural 20-goal NHL campaign, McTavish offers skill and grit, two qualities that the Canucks may covet during a playoff push. While a few large-name players are available on the free market, Vancouver is considering trades as well as free agent solutions in the latter half of the offseason. Making a bold move for a player like McTavish wouldn't be out of character with the needs of the team. The Canucks need to sign their important NCAA prospect by August 15th Meanwhile, the Canucks are also under pressure in another direction. The deadline on August 15th is coming up to sign NCAA prospects graduating after four years. If they don't sign them, they'll become unrestricted free agents. The key concern is forward Jackson Kunz. If he isn't signed by August 15, 2025, he'll land on the open market. In the midst of a potential blockbuster trade and looming NCAA deadlines, the next several weeks can be make-or-break for Vancouver.
Lakers’ Shake Milton Already Finds New Home Days After Release, Signs 2-Year Deal
Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Shake Milton has found a new home. More news: Lakers’ Luka Doncic Has Reportedly Already Agreed to Massive Contract Extension With LA Days after the Lakers waived him, Milton will take his talents overseas. The 28-year-old is signing a two-year deal with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia. Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews shared the news via X. More news: Lakers Insider Urges Team to Make Major Change to Starting Five Milton spent most of the 2024-25 season with the Lakers after being acquired in a trade in late December from the Brooklyn Nets. Milton was reportedly in advanced talks to sign with the team as early as Thursday morning. The two sides were discussing a possible deal, and both parties came away satisfied with the talks. The former 2018 second-round pick will take his talents overseas for the first time in his professional career. Milton started his career with the Philadelphia 76ers after he was drafted and traded by the Dallas Mavericks. He has played for five other NBA teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Nets, and the Lakers. In 30 games for the purple and gold this past season, Milton averaged 3.9 points per game, 1.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.3 steals per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from beyond the arc in 11.5 minutes of action. He started in one game for the Lakers. Overall, in his NBA career, Milton has played in 359 games, averaging 8.1 points per game, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from 3-point range. The Lakers waived Milton in order to make room for former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. More news: Lakers Confident in Luka Doncic Signing Massive Long-Term Extension: Report For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Bucks executive opens up on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors
The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard sparked even more Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors on social media. There were already reports that Antetokounmpo was considering his options and potentially forcing his way out of Milwaukee, and the Lillard move did little to alleviate the situation. Nevertheless, the weeks have gone by, and Antetokounmpo is still a Buck. More importantly, the team believes that's not going to change any time soon. "We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world," a Bucks front office executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith. "We rebuilt on the fly, in a really challenging situation, but we think we did it as well as it could be done." Antetokounmpo trade rumors have cooled off around the league, and while anything can happen in the NBA, that doesn't seem likely at this point. "Do I think the star guys like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or LeBron (James) are going to go anywhere? Nope. Is it possible? Sure is," said a Western Conference executive. Giannis chose to stay in Milwaukee with one of the most lucrative contract extensions in NBA history. He was overly critical of the team's effort last season, and another early playoff exit may have driven him to the edge. Even so, he's talked about how he wants to win "the right way," as opposed to chasing rings. That said, with head coach Doc Rivers' long list of questionable postseason performances and a championship window that could be closing right before their eyes, Giannis trade rumors will flood social media again if the Bucks get off to a slow start during the 2026-26 campaign.
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