Although today’s injury news isn’t going to impact the Cubs chances too significantly to start the year, it is a double-bummer of an update given the remaining hope/upside for both guys. According to multiple reports, both Jordan Wicks and Porter Hodge will begin the year on the Injured List.
Porter Hodge Will Head to IL
In 2024, Porter Hodge was ascendant. The hard-throwing righty began the season in Double-A and finished the year as the big league Cubs closer. He wound up tossing 43.0 big league innings with a 1.88 ERA (2.71 xERA, 2.75 FIP) while saving nine games.
Because of that, Hodge went into the 2025 season as a potential closing candidate for Craig Counsell’s Cubs and was even getting nods as one of the best breakout relief options in the entire league. Unfortunately, injuries and underperformance completely derailed his season, and he wound up being a complete non-factor from start to finish.
May 20: Hodge to IL (left oblique strain) July 9: Hodge to IL (right shoulder impingement) MiLB 2025: 16.1 IP, 6.61 ERA (3.86 FIP) MLB 2025: 33.0 IP, 6.27 ERA (5.89 FIP)That left us completely guessing at what the plan was for him this season and if he could climb that mountain yet again. But now he’s reportedly dealing with a right elbow flexor strain, which is different from either of his 2025 injuries, but certainly not a more encouraging type of issue.
Some additional details via Elise Menaker: “Hodge didn’t feel right coming out of his last outing, so he had testing done and will be shut down from throwing for a couple of weeks.”
I really hope he can get healthy and work some stuff out in Iowa this year, because the 2026 Cubs could REALLY use 2024 Porter Hodge.
Jordan Wicks Will Head to IL
Unlike Hodge, Jordan Wicks was not someone any expected to make the big league team out of camp. But like Hodge, he is a guy who has flashed competence and upside at the big league level before. Unfortunately, the injuries just keep coming and at this point, it’s fair to wonder if he’s ever going to be able to break through.
More specifically, I just wonder if his body can handle the velocity and pitch profile he needs to reach for in order to be successful. To put that another way, Wicks first started to break out at the big league level once his velo ticked up and his secondary offerings moved more. And that, probably not coincidentally, is when the injuries began.
This year, according to Menaker, Wicks is dealing with discomfort in his pitching arm caused by radial nerve irritation. He is expected to get back off the mound in mid-to-late-March, though, so hopefully he’ll be back in the Iowa rotation soon enough.
The Cubs do have a lot of starting pitching depth ahead of Wicks, but he was someone I had hoped could sneak his way back into the picture this year, especially with so many big league starters headed to free agency after this season (Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga). Even if Wicks never re-captures that mid-rotation upside, it’d be nice to have a cost-controlled and capable back-end starter on the roster.
Jonathan Long Healing Up
And lastly, Jonathan Long, who got hurt on a fluke play at first base this spring (which forced him to pull out of his WBC commitment) is starting to heal up. According to Menaker, he is expected to get back into some games next weekend.
Long is still something of a true, albeit less-heralded, prospect, but his bat could be legit, especially in a complementary role. And while he was probably not going to make the team out of camp even after Tyler Austin’s injury, he is someone we could see in Chicago this season.
Long slashed .305/.404/.479 (131 wRC+) as a 23-year-old in his first crack at Triple-A last season. I bet he tears that league UP this year.
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