Chicago Cubs Rookie Not Expected To Be Part of Rotation After Major Injury

The Chicago Cubs looked as if they had a promising starter, but it doesn't appear he will be back in the rotation to start the year.

Jun 8, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ben Brown (32) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs were expecting to have a great year in their first season under Craig Counsell, but things didn't go as planned. Shota Imanaga had a great rookie year, but Justin Steele dealt with injury and Kyle Hendricks had the worst season of his career. Rookie Ben Brown got off to a nice start to his career and looked like he could be part of the rotation before the injury. Now, according to insiders Shahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney, he won't factor in for the Opening Day rotation.

Brown made 15 appearances, including eight starts in his freshman season. In 55.1 innings, the 25-year-old posted a 3.58 ERA with a 10.4 K/9, including a seven inning, no-hit appearance just before the injury.

Then he went down with a neck strain and was officially placed on the 60-day IL on July 26. There have been no real updates on the injury and his possible return this offseason, and it seems that there won't be won't be one until spring training hits.

"And I think, for me, with Ben Brown, like, we gotta see him throw in a Spring Training game. Gotta get through that, see if he's going to be cleared to throw in real games next year. This has been a weird situation," the two said on the North Side Territory podcast.

It's evident that he won't be ready for the beginning of the season or where the team will even go from here.

"The Cubs have already moved on from the idea of him being part of their Opening Day rotation next year, I think it's maybe you stretch him out in Iowa as depth, maybe he comes out of the bullpen, maybe you focus on him as a late inning reliever," it was suggested.

Mooney says that until games start, there shouldn't be much weight put on the small updates.

Neck injuries are nothing to mess with, and given the promise that Brown showed as a rookie, the Cubs may want to take their time with his rehab.

Chicago will be in the running for free agent pitchers like Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, as well as hoping for a healthy Justin Steele making a full seasons worth of starts. Although they may have been excited by what Brown showed, it's not necessary that he be ready to go right away.

What's important is that the team allows him to rehab and get back fully healthy when the time is right.