Cubs get much-needed good news on a pair of key injured pitchers

With all due respect to Jameson Taillon, Colin Rea, and Shota Imanaga - each of whom have been valuable to the Chicago Cubs at various points during their respective tenures - it's a huge problem that they currently comprise 75 percent of the team's rotation now that we've mercifully been freed of Jordan Wicks.

Taillon delivered a gem against the Athletics this week, tossing 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball, though the Cubs ultimately lost the game anyway due to their anemic offense. Still, the home-run problems he and Imanaga have been facing are untenable, though the North Siders have lacked the depth to do anything about it.

Until now. Edward Cabrera is slated to return to the rotation this week, foregoing a rehab assignment. He may not have needed one regardless since it was just a blister issue, but he's coming back to Chicago out of necessity first and foremost.

Likewise, Matthew Boyd, who has been on the shelf since early May following a small knee procedure, is slated to take his second rehab start in Iowa this weekend. If no setbacks are faced, he shouldn't be far behind Cabrera.

For an extra bit of confirmation, Craig Counsell said the following of the star duo prior to the start of the Athletics series: "We need healthy bodies back and, absolutely, signs right now, everything is pointing to them returning in the near term."

Edward Cabrera, Matthew Boyd must return to Cubs better than ever

Cabrera is expected to take the Saturday start against the San Francisco Giants, which is a soft landing against one of the league's worst scoring operations. He had a brilliant start to his Cubs tenure, tossing 11 2/3 scoreless innings in his first pair of outings. Then, he allowed three or more runs in seven straight appearances before exiting his most recent start after just three frames due to the aforementioned blister issue.

Injuries are an inextricable part of his profile, though thankfully this one wasn't serious. Cabrera has to be better than he was in May, but at least we can feel confident that he'll give this team some much-needed length; in each of his first eight starts this year, the right-hander completed at least five innings.

Meanwhile, Boyd will need to prove healthy in his next (and, hopefully, final) rehab start. He allowed two earned runs over four innings in his first, and he reported no setbacks in his knee following the outing.

The 2025 All-Star has been the bearer of some horrendous luck this year, running up a 6.00 ERA despite an incredible 2.34 FIP. If he continues to rack up strikeouts and limit walks, those two numbers should start to find a more palatable middle ground.

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