Nearly every pitcher who was expected to be a contributing member of the Chicago Cubs’ starting rotation in 2026 is currently on the injured list. Most have hurt themselves in the traditional manner (throwing baseballs), but some of these guys are suffering injuries in their domestic lives, simply “dadding” around the house. It’s wild.Chicago looked like a division favorite just three weeks ago, a legitimate pennant contender, but they fell into an all-phases slump during a May road trip, dropping 14 out of 16 games. Only in the past few days has the team arrested its nosedive. One of the primary reasons for the recent turnaround — and arguably one of the most important developments for the Cubs this season — has been the emergence of 26-year-old Ben Brown as a lights-out starter.
Ben Brown, Dirty 90mph Knuckle Curve. 😨 pic.twitter.com/hl6wOOlOg6
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 30, 2026Brown made two starts last week, allowing just seven hits and two runs over 13 innings, striking out 13. Over his five starts this year, his ERA is 1.73 and his WHIP is 0.85. He’s allowed only one homer all season after coughing up 18 in 106.1 innings in 2025.As fantasy managers, one of our most difficult, routine tasks is distinguishing between a player on a hot streak and someone who’s truly leveled up in a meaningful and sustainable way. Brown certainly seems like he’s more the latter than the former. He introduced a new sinker to the arsenal this year, and it’s generated plenty of unthreatening contact, turning him into a ground-ball machine (51.5 GB%, 1.76 GB/FB).Brown is obviously unlikely to maintain the sub-2.00 ERA over the balance of the season, but the underlying numbers are mostly excellent. His expected ERA is 2.90. His K rate is 26.4%. His changeup has a 40% whiff rate, and the knuckle curve (see above) is at 47.4%.
