The Chicago Cubs have shut down rookie pitcher Ben Brown “for the time being,” as manager Craig Counsell informed the media, including the Chicago Sun-Times, on Monday. Brown, who was called up early this season following ace Justin Steele’s stint on the injured list, has been on the 60-day IL since July 26 to make room for catcher Christian Bethancourt.
As the Cubs, sitting one game under .500 and vying for the final National League Wild Card spot, prepared to face the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, Brown’s absence loomed large due to a neck strain. Counsell stated there’s no set timetable for Brown’s return to throwing, emphasizing the need for him to be “symptom-free” before resuming. For now, the Cubs plan to have him rest.
Once a top prospect according to MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, the 24-year-old has pitched in 15 games since his call-up, posting a 1-3 record with a 3.58 ERA in eight starts and seven relief appearances. He has recorded 64 strikeouts and 19 walks over 55.1 innings. Brown last took the mound on June 8 against the Cincinnati Reds, where he threw four innings, allowing three earned runs in a loss.
The Cubs had been ramping up Brown’s activity after he resumed throwing in June, with more intense sessions beginning in July. He was sent to Arizona for further bullpen work but was expected to face hitters and go on a rehab assignment before being considered for activation, a process that would take at least two weeks.
Brown was initially a 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 out of Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, NY. The Cubs acquired him in August 2022 in a trade that sent reliever David Robertson to the Phillies. Brown continued to progress through the Cubs’ minor league system, earning a promotion to Triple-A Iowa after a strong stint with Tennessee. At Iowa, he went 6-8 with a 5.33 ERA in 22 games, striking out 100 batters over 72.2 innings.
