Chicago Cubs Roster
- NL Central
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Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (hamstring), who remained out of Thursday's lineup, went through a more regular pregame workout before the game against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates, manager Craig Counsell said. If all goes well, the hope is that Hoerner will be back in Chicago's lineup for the second game of the series against Pittsburgh on Friday. The 27-year-old contact-hitting infielder appears to be on the cusp of a return from tightness in his left hamstring after being out of the lineup in each of the past three contests, so fantasy managers should expect to get him back without needing a trip to the injured list. In 41 games (156 at-bats) before picking up the injury, Hoerner slashed .269/.361/.391 with two home runs, 11 doubles, 12 RBI, 25 runs scored, and five stolen bases as the Cubs' primary leadoff hitter.
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (knee) continued to ramp up his activity ahead of Thursday's game against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field, including fielding ground balls. After a period of rest, recovery, and treatment, Swanson did some light running and agility work and played catch before Wednesday's series finale against the Atlanta Braves and seems to be progressing well in his recuperation from a sprained right knee. The 30-year-old star infielder is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list as early as Saturday's contest against Pittsburgh, though it's unclear if he'll need a brief minor-league rehab assignment before the Cubs activate him. Although Swanson was slashing a meager .209/.285/.341 with four home runs, 12 RBI, 20 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 37 games (129 at-bats) as Chicago's everyday shortstop before the injury, he's a must-stash player in all fantasy leagues.
Chicago Cubs middle infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) remains out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Hoerner will miss a third straight game after being scratched from Tuesday's contest versus the Atlanta Braves with left-hamstring tightness. The 27-year-old remains day-to-day, but if his absence extends into the weekend against Pittsburgh, the Cubbies may have to consider placing him on the injured list. It would be bad news for Chicago's middle infield, as Dansby Swanson (knee) is already on the shelf with knee soreness. Miles Mastrobuoni is making another start at the 6 on Thursday and is hitting eighth against Pirates rookie right-hander Jared Jones. Both Mastrobuoni and Nick Madrigal, who is playing second, are weak DFS plays as middle infielders.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Braves. Tauchman's homer set the tone of the game early, as it came on the first pitch of the game off Braves starter Charlie Morton. The 33-year-old had a solid start to the season, hitting .307 in April with three of his four home runs coming during the month, but so far is hitting just .208 in May. He's still making good contact (80.8% Contact%), walking a lot (16.0% BB%), and his 26 runs scored puts him just one behind the likes of Freddie Freeman (27), so hopefully this is just a cold spell for him and Wednesday's homer gets him back on track.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki went yard in Wednesday's win over the Atlanta Braves on the road, adding a double in the victory. Suzuki's homer came as an insurance run in the eighth inning off Braves right-hander Jesse Chavez, traveling 433 feet to deep center. It's been a great first quarter of the year for the 29-year-old slugger, who's slashing .280/.337/.488 with four big flies, 15 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one stolen base across 92 plate appearances (20 games) as Chicago's everyday right fielder. A four-game series with the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates is on deck starting on Thursday. Over 15 games versus the Pirates since 2023, Suzuki is hitting .323 with one tater, seven doubles, 12 RBI, and 12 runs scored and will be a set-and-forget fantasy option.