Report: Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman has right rib cartilage fracture, out indefinitely

Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Testing Wednesday revealed that Stroman has a fracture in his right rib cartilage, according to The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. While it’s unclear how severe the injury is, the Cubs have no set plan for Stroman's return to their rotation.

Stroman landed on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 2 due to right hip inflammation. He was supposed to start Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, but manager David Ross revealed Tuesday that Stroman was dealing with discomfort in his rib area. That injury apparently surfaced after a bullpen session last weekend.

Now, the injury is reportedly much worse than initially expected.

Stroman, 32, has a 3.85 ERA and holds a 10-8 record this season, his second in Chicago. He picked up his second career All-Star nod this season after a solid start to the year, though he went just 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA in his past nine games on the mound. Stroman can become a free agent after this season.

The Cubs have leaned more on Javier Assad with Stroman sidelined and will likely continue to do so if his rib injury ends up being a long-term issue. Assad is slated to start Wednesday in Stroman’s place. He pitched seven innings and allowed just one run in the Cubs’ 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

“I think the one positive to all this is Javier Assad’s throwing the ball really well,” Ross said Tuesday, via The Associated Press.

The Cubs enter Wednesday’s game against the White Sox with a 61-58 record, which has them 3.5 games back from the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. The Cubs have lost two straight but are just a game back in the NL wild-card race. Chicago hasn’t been to the postseason since 2020.