CHICAGO CUBS NEWS

Shota Imanaga - Sets tone in combined no-no Imanaga (12-3) pitched seven innings of no-hit ball, striking out seven and walking two without allowing a run to earn the win over the Pirates on Wednesday.

Impact Imanaga threw 95 pitches (66 strikes) in his best start of the year, which was his seventh scoreless outing. Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge each threw a perfect inning of relief to secure the combined no-hitter for the Cubs. Imanaga pitched to a decent 3.68 ERA over 36.2 innings across six starts in August and is off to a stellar start in September as the Cubs try to make up ground in the wild-card race. For the season, Imanaga has a 2.99 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 155:25 K:BB over 153.1 innings across 26 starts. He's projected for a tough road outing versus the Dodgers his next time out.

SEPTEMBER 5 • ROTOWIRE

Shota Imanaga, Cubs combine to no-hit Pirates Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga and two relievers combined to throw the 18th no-hitter in team history on Wednesday in a 12-0 win ove...

SEPTEMBER 5 • SUNHERALD.COM

Porter Hodge - Puts bow on team no-hitter Hodge pitched a clean ninth inning in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates to wrap up a combined no-hitter for the Cubs.

Impact It wasn't a save situation for Hodge, though he still faced plenty of pressure after starter Shota Imanaga and Nate Pearson kept Pittsburgh without a hit through eight innings. Hodge didn't flinch and breezed through the frame on just nine pitches, which has been customary for the young righty all season as he's now sporting a sparkling 1.75 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. Hodge looks locked in as the Cubs' closer for the rest of 2024, and the 23-year-old appears ready to be a fantasy contributor for years to come as well.

SEPTEMBER 5 • ROTOWIRE

Pete Crow-Armstrong - Keeps rolling Wednesday Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo home run, an additional run scored and three total RBI in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

Impact At the end of July, Crow-Armstrong was batting just .194 with three home runs. In 30 games since then, the young outfielder is batting .327 with five long balls. Crow-Armstrong's greatest strength remains his speed, as he has 26 stolen bases in 27 attempts this season, but his recent production at the plate has unlocked another level of fantasy relevance. The 22-year-old could be poised for a true breakout campaign in 2025 if he can get off to a faster start, as he has the tools to be a star player.

SEPTEMBER 5 • ROTOWIRE

Dansby Swanson - Has big night in blowout win Swanson went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, an additional run scored and three total RBI in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

Impact It's been a down year overall for Swanson, but he's getting things going lately. Over his last 10 games, the Chicago shortstop is batting .385 with four home runs, 14 runs scored and 15 RBI. Swanson is now up 14 long balls for the season. The 30-year-old might be hard pressed to reach the 20-homer plateau for the fourth straight year, though given his recent hot streak, it's not out of the question with 22 games to go.

SEPTEMBER 5 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Hoerner - Tallies three hits in win Hoerner went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

Impact Hoerner went 0-for-4 in Tuesday's contest, but before that, he was riding a nine-game hitting streak. Over his last 15 games, the infielder is batting .316 with 14 runs scored and five stolen bases. Hoerner's greatest fantasy asset is his speed, and if he keeps getting on base consistently, he should be able to rack up plenty of steals and score a fair amount of runs as well.

SEPTEMBER 5 • ROTOWIRE

Shota Imanaga, 2 relievers combine for no-hitter, lead Cubs over Pirates 12-0

Shota Imanaga, Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge threw a combined no-hitter in the Chicago Cubs' 12-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley...

SEPTEMBER 5

Cody Bellinger - Launches home run in rout Bellinger went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

Impact While he's batting just .214 over his last 10 games, Bellinger is at least riding a modest four-game hitting streak, which now includes his first multi-hit performance this month. The 29-year-old is up to 15 home runs this season to go along with a .749 OPS. It's a step back from the 26 long balls and .881 OPS Bellinger posted in 2023, though his production has still been serviceable for fantasy managers.

SEPTEMBER 5 • ROTOWIRE

Shota goes 7 no-hit frames, bullpen does the rest in Cubs' combined no-no Shota Imanaga’s sparkling rookie season for the Cubs reached its high point when he threw seven no-hit frames and handed off to the bullpen,...

SEPTEMBER 5 • MLB.COM

Imanaga, 2 relievers combine for no-hitter, lead Cubs over Pirates 12-0

Shota Imanaga and two Cubs relievers combined on a no-hitter, leading Chicago over the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-0 on Wednesday night

SEPTEMBER 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shota Imanaga and two Cubs relievers combine on a no-hitter in a 12-0 win over the Pirates

Shota Imanaga and two Cubs relievers combine on a no-hitter in a 12-0 win over the Pirates

SEPTEMBER 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will return to Dodgers' rotation next week after nearly 3-month injury absence

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation next week after missing nearly three months with a right arm injury

SEPTEMBER 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pitchers Justin Steele and Jorge López put on injured list by Chicago Cubs

Left-hander Justin Steele has been placed on the 15-day injured list by the Chicago Cubs because of tendinitis in his pitching elbow, a day after he was scratched from a start agai...

SEPTEMBER 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Steele vows to return this season after being placed on IL CHICAGO -- Standing at his locker on Tuesday afternoon, when the Cubs were still weighing whether to place Justin Steele on the injured list...

SEPTEMBER 5 • MLB.COM

Jack Neely - Returns to majors The Cubs recalled Neely from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Impact Neely allowed six earned runs over just four innings during his first stint in the big leagues, but he'll now return to the majors to serve as extra bullpen depth while Justin Steele (elbow) heads to the injured list.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Justin Steele - Lands on injured list The Cubs placed Steele on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with left elbow tendinitis, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Impact Steele had to be scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday due to inflammation in his elbow, and he'll now officially sit out for another few turns through the rotation following his latest diagnosis. Kyle Hendricks started in Steele's place against the Pirates and figures to serve as Chicago's fifth starter while the left-hander is sidelined.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Trey Wingenter - Recalled from Triple-A The Cubs recalled Wingenter from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Impact Wingenter was claimed off waivers last month and will get a look after posting a 2.79 ERA and 16:3 K:BB over 9.2 innings with Iowa. He will likely pitch in middle relief initially.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Jorge López - Goes on IL with groin strain The Cubs placed Lopez on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a right groin strain, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Impact Lopez had been unavailable to pitch for a stretch recently because of the injury and he was roughed up for four runs in his last appearance Monday. With Lopez out, Porter Hodge has a clearer path to saves in the Cubs' bullpen.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

MLB Rookie Power Rankings: Skenes, Merrill or Chourio for NL ROY?

A three-way race has emerged for NL Rookie of the Year entering September, while the AL award is also up for grabs. So, who are the current...

SEPTEMBER 4

Pirates look to sweep 3-game series over the Cubs

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs play in the last game of a three-game series

SEPTEMBER 4 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Christian Bethancourt - Records steal Tuesday Bethancourt went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to the Pirates.

Impact Bethancourt has hit safely in his last five games, going 7-for-17 (.412) with 10 RBI and two steals in that span. A seven-RBI game last Wednesday versus the Pirates has fueled much of his recent success. The backup catcher is now at a .224/.262/.414 slash line with three steals, five home runs, 22 RBI and 18 runs scored over 51 contests between the Cubs and the Marlins this season.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Seiya Suzuki - Nabs steal Tuesday Suzuki went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to the Pirates.

Impact Suzuki has hit safely in 10 of his last 13 games, going 20-for-54 (.370) with eight extra-base hits and three steals in that span. The outfielder is up to 13 steals on 18 attempts this season, which is a career high that comes despite him dealing with an oblique issue earlier in the season. Suzuki has a .275/.350/.485 slash line with 19 home runs, 64 RBI, 64 runs scored, 23 doubles and six triples over 112 contests, and he's been an everyday designated hitter in recent weeks.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Hendricks - Takes 11th loss Hendricks (3-11) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five over five innings, taking the loss Tuesday versus the Pirates.

Impact Hendricks rebounded from his poor outing in Pittsburgh last Wednesday, but he didn't get any run support this time around. This was just the second time in eight outings since the All-Star break where Hendricks was able to avoid giving up a home run. He's now at a 6.60 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 74:33 K:BB through 107.2 innings over 25 appearances (20 starts) this season. With Justin Steele (elbow) out, Hendricks is likely to stay in the rotation for another turn, though that lines up to be a brutal road matchup versus the Dodgers.

SEPTEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Paul Sullivan: Fate of Justin Steele's sore left elbow could determine whether the Cubs can remain in the wild-card race CHICAGO - In a season lacking drama for the first four-plus months, the Chicago Cubs flipped the swi...

SEPTEMBER 4 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Paul Skenes, Pirates fire shutout against Cubs Jared Triolo belted a three-run homer and rookie Paul Skenes tossed five scoreless innings to fuel the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-0...

SEPTEMBER 4 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM