Chicago Cubs' Javier Assad Could Open Season on Injured List With Oblique Strain

While the expectation is that Javier Assad will start pitching off a mound again this week, the Chicago Cubs may play it safe and place the righty on the injured list to start the regular season.

Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad (72) pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Javier Assad could start throwing off the mound this week, The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma reported Tuesday.

Assad has been out with a left oblique strain since he arrived at spring training camp earlier this month. Manager Craig Counsell described the strain as "mild" at the time, shutting Assad down for a few days, but he has now been shelved for two weeks.

Per Sharma, the Cubs might not rush Assad back and could instead opt to place him on the injured list to open the regular season.

Assad is coming off his first full season as a big league starter. He took the mound just nine times in 2022 upon making his MLB debut, then he came out of the bullpen in 22 of his 32 outings in 2023.

Despite opening 2024 on a hot streak – he went 4-0 with a 1.49 ERA and 1.034 WHIP through his first nine starts – Assad's production fell off down the stretch. From May 21 on, Assad went 3-6 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.581 WHIP.

Various trade rumors linked the Cubs to Jesús Luzardo, Garrett Crochet and Dylan Cease this past winter, suggesting that Chicago was in the market for another starter even with Assad at full strength.

Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd make up the core of the Cubs' rotation without Assad. Should he miss time at the start of the year, Assad's spot could go to veteran free agent addition Colin Rea, or one of the youngsters – Ben Brown or Jordan Wicks.

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