The Chicago Cubs are linked to five starters, Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, Mitch Keller, Merrill Kelly, and Zac Gallen, amid the team's dire need in the rotation.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell held rookie Matt Shaw out of the starting lineup on Wednesday, giving the young third baseman a day to focus on his pregame work without worrying too much about the night’s game against the Twins.

PITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Colin Rea (6-3, 4.13 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 60 strikeouts); Twins: Chris Paddack (3-7, 4.64 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 68 strikeouts) BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs will aim to stop a three-game road skid when they face the Minnesota Twins.

A year after taking Cam Smith and trading him to the Astros in a package for Kyle Tucker, the Cubs own pick No. 17 in this summer's draft.

The Cubs’ Michael Busch is a rare Simley product gaining fame without wrestling. Will Short, coach of Simley’s powerhouse wrestling program, is over it: “We couldn’t be more proud of Michael.” Read more in Patrick Reusse's latest column.

Blackpink, Mitchell & Ness, and MLB have joined forces for this super collaboration that will have fans going wild.

The Cubs were able to enjoy Shota Imanaga's return to strengthen the rotation for one whole week before another injury hit the staff. Jameson Taillon strained his calf while doing running drills last week,

The Chicago Cubs enter the month of the trade deadline with very clear needs for Jed Hoyer to address. The biggest need of all is in their starting rotation. Sandy Alcantara, understandably, is a pitcher Cubs fans have been clamoring for really since Opening Day. While he's a big name, he continues to prove the Cubs should go in another direction.