Chicago Cubs Pitcher Returns from IL to Fill New Role
The Chicago Cubs activated right-handed Pitcher Michael Soroka off the 15-day IL on Monday before the team’s series opener in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. Soroka had been out with a right shoulder strain suffered in his first outing with the Cubs. Soroka was acquired from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline and added to the starting rotation. Soroka will join the bullpen in his return and take the place of Ben Brown, who was sent down to AAA Iowa in a corresponding move.
Michael Soroka Back With the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are getting an arm back on their pitching staff ahead of their three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago is activating Soroka off the 15-day injured list. Soroka has been out since August 4 with a right shoulder strain. Soroka was two innings into his debut with the Chicago Cubs when he was removed with the injury and subsequently placed on the IL. Soroka was acquired from the Washington Nationals in a deadline deal and added to the starting rotation.
With two weeks left in the regular season, the Chicago Cubs are placing Soroka in the bullpen. Soroka has made 17 starts in 2025 with no relief appearances, so this will be a change of pace for the 28-year-old right-hander. Soroka has experience as a reliever in his career, though. Last year with the Chicago White Sox, Soroka alternated between the starting rotation and the bullpen, making nine starts and 16 appearances out of the bullpen.
This season with Washington and Chicago, Soroka is 3-8 with a 4.75 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 85.1 innings of work across 17 starts. 2025 was the first season since 2019 that Soroka had been healthy throughout until the shoulder strain. The Chicago Cubs are hoping that Soroka doesn’t have any setbacks for the rest of the year and can acclimate to his new role in the bullpen. In a corresponding move, Chicago sent Brown to AAA Iowa.
Final Thoughts
Brown has struggled this season, and even after moving from the starting rotation to the bullpen, couldn’t find a groove on the pitching staff. Brown is 5-8 with a 5.92 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 106.1 innings of work in 25 outings in 2025. Brown’s role on the pitching staff before being demoted was mainly mop-up duty in blowout losses. Soroka could see some of those innings come his way, or they could be shared with Javier Assad and Aaron Civale, who, like Soroka and Brown, have experience as both a starter and reliever.
