Cubs Injury Update: Javier Assad timeline, Miguel Amaya return, Jordan Wicks

As the Chicago Cubs look for starting pitching ahead of the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, it's been a reminder that the team has been without Javier Assad for the entire 2025 season. Assad was shut down during the early days of spring training with an oblique injury, and since then, there have been very few updates on his status.

On Tuesday, while speaking on 670 The Score, general manager Carter Hawkins revealed the plan is for Assad to make his return to the Cubs at some point during the second half of the season. The end of August and early September is likely the target for Assad's return.

While the underlying metrics suggested that Assad wasn't as good as he was last season, there is no getting around the fact that he has pitched to an ERA under 4 in each of his first three seasons on the Cubs' pitching staff. Last season was his first full season as a member of the Cubs' rotation, and he posted a 3.73 ERA through 29 starts.

Given the deadline additions the Cubs are expected to make, it's hard to envision Assad having any role of consequence on the Cubs' pitching staff when he does make his return. If the Cubs are cautious with Cade Horton's workload, Assad may make a spot start or two near the end of the season.

Cubs Injury Update: Miguel Amaya has resumed baseball activities

Like Assad, Miguel Amaya is also working his way back from an oblique strain. However, Amaya's return is expected soon as the catcher has resumed baseball activity. Given the success that the Cubs are having with Reese McGuire on the roster, the team can be cautious with Amaya's return. Still, it would seem that around the All-Star break would be the best expectation for when Amaya will make his return.

Cubs Injury Update: Jordan Wicks is healthy and dominating Triple-A

After missing a month of the Triple-A season due to an injury of his own, Jordan Wicks returned to the Iowa Cubs on June 19 and has dominated ever since. In his three starts upon his return, Wicks has a 1.64 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 11 innings of work. It would seem likely that Wicks gets another look at the Major League level before too long. It's also possible that Wicks will be used as a trade chip for the Cubs ahead of the deadline.

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