One of the Chicago Cubs' depth arms vying for a shot on the big league roster has suffered a significant setback as the season approaches.
While speaking to reporters on Thursday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell revealed that right-handed pitcher Caleb Kilian suffered a teres major strain, which will keep him out of action for several months, likely until around the All-Star break.
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Counsell also told reporters that infielder Nick Madrigal has a mild hamstring strain, with the team looking to monitor his progress over the next week.
As for Kilian, the setback is a dagger to the 26-year-old righty who's looking to complete the climb to the big leagues as a versatile arm capable of long relief or starting.
Initially acquired in a 2021 trade that sent former MVP Kris Bryant to the San Francisco Giants, Kilian has appeared in six MLB games over the past two seasons with the Cubs with underwhelming results.
Kilian's numbers were noticeably better in Triple-A Iowa in 2023, though still with some clear room for improvement.
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Across 25 games and 24 starts in 2023 with the I-Cubs, Kilian posted an 8-3 record with a 4.56 ERA, totaling 36 walks and 95 strikeouts across 120.1 innings of work.
With Kilian's absence, the battle for remaining bullpen spots and the fifth starter spot is slightly narrowed, with Javier Assad, Hayden Wesneski, Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks among those previously competing with Kilian for a roster spot.