Marcus Stroman suffered a right rib cartilage fracture, the Cubs announced on Wednesday.
The Cubs have no timetable for his return. He needs to be symptom-free to throw again.
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On Tuesday, the Cubs announced Stroman would not be available for his Wednesday start against the White Sox, due to the rib injury. Javier Assad is slated to take his place at Wrigley Field against the South Side.
This season, Stroman has been lights out on the mound. Through 23 starts, the ace holds a 3.85 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 55 walks. He earned the second All-Star nod of his career this season with the Cubs.
His injury throws a wrench in the Cubs' plans for the season. In an effort to win the NL Central division and make the playoffs, the Cubs staved off a sale at the trade deadline. Stroman was considered one of the commodities the Cubs would have been willing to sell, had they gone down that path.
Instead, the Cubs front office decided to hold true and buy at the deadline. They acquired Jeimer Candelario, an infielder, and Jose Cuas, a right-handed reliever, to bolster the margins of their roster.
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The big question remains -- will Stroman return to the mound with the Cubs? He has a player option for the 2024 season. Though, he's expressed his strong interest to remain on the North Side countless times this season.