Another Chicago Cubs Pitcher Lands on the Injured List

The Chicago Cubs have been bitten by the injury bug this season, especially in the pitching department.

With names like Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Phil Maton and others on the injured list, Chicago is already thin in the pitching department. A new name has been added.

Reliever Hunter Harvey has been placed on the 15-day IL with right triceps inflammation, retroactive to April 9, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, left-hander Charlie Barnes has been called up.

Today's roster moves presented by @NuveenInv: pic.twitter.com/koj9ViLOqD
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 12, 2026

More on Harvey

Harvey was given a one-year, $6 million contract during the offseason to be a high-leverage reliever for Chicago. It hasn't worked out as planned.

In four games, Harvey has given up three runs (two home runs).

The Baltimore Orioles drafted Harvey in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school. He was a highly touted young player with the Orioles. Per MLB Pipeline, he was once a top 50 prospect as a starter.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Hunter Harvey | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

But in the majors, he never started a game, instead using him as a reliever.

He would make his MLB debut in 2019, but would barely play for Baltimore due to injuries, making just 26 appearances across three seasons.

With the Washington Nationals, he finally started to get healthy, pitching in 138 games over three seasons with a 3.17 ERA.

Washington traded him to the Kansas City Royals in 2024, where injuries would pop back up.

Harvey has pitched to a 3.19 ERA over his eight major league seasons.

More on Barnes

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Charlie Barnes | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins drafted Barnes in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Clemson University. He would make his MLB debut in 2021 with Minnesota. It did not go well.

In nine games (eight starts), Barnes would pitch to a 5.92 ERA, pitching just 38 innings. He would strike out just 20 batters, walking 16.

He would then spend four years in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), pitching to a 3.58 ERA.

The Cubs signed Barnes to a minor league deal during the offseason. To start the year, Barnes would pitch three games in Triple-A to a 2.38 ERA.

Barnes will add to a Cubs team that has a thin rotation and bullpen due to injuries.

While he is mainly a starter, there's a good chance that Barnes could be used as a long reliever to pick up innings for the Cubs in their ailing situation.

Chicago can ill afford more injuries as they try to retake the division.