Wesneski will open the year as the Cubs' fifth starter, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Wesneski was the man most fantasy players wanted to win the job, but he had to beat out Adrian Sampson and Javier Assad to win it. The opening is technically only a temporary one, with Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) seemingly tracking towards a debut sometime in May, but there's every chance Wesneski will have pitched well enough to lock himself into a starting role by that point. The 25-year-old has made just four big-league starts, but his 2.18 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 33:7 K:BB in 33 MLB innings last year give plenty of reason for optimism.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Sharp again Thursday
Rotowire
Wesneski allowed just one unearned run with five strikeouts over five innings in a Cactus League start Thursday against the Diamondbacks.
Wesneski continues to charge toward the final spot in the Cubs' season-opening rotation, and he's now boasting a 2.12 ERA and 22:6 K:BB in 17 innings of Cactus League work. The 25-year-old right-hander looked great down the stretch with Chicago in 2022 and is shaping up as an attractive late-round grab in fantasy drafts for 2023.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Starting Thursday vs. ARI
Rotowire
Wesneski is listed as the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Wesneski has pitched well over the spring with a 3.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts over his 12 innings of work. The right-hander is battling for one of the final spots in the Chicago rotation to open the year, and Javier Assad is also scheduled to pitch on Thursday. The results for Wesneski -- as well as Assad -- will go a long way in determining who will win the fifth starter job for the Cubs.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Has first poor spring start
Rotowire
Wesneski allowed four runs on four hits across 3.1 innings in Friday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers. He walked two and struck out six.
Wesneski entered the game with a 0.00 ERA this spring but endured his first Cactus League rough patch. The six strikeouts are still promising, giving the righty 17 of them across 12 innings. Wesneski has emerged as the top candidate to be the Cubs' fifth starter, and he could be a sneaky fantasy option if he secures the job and continues to pitch well.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Drops pitcher's duel
Rotowire
Wesneski (3-2) allowed just two runs (one earned) across six innings but took the loss Monday against the Reds. He gave up four hits and a walk, while striking out six.
Wesneski pitched well, but Hunter Greene was better in the 3-1 Cincinnati win. The former looked good in six starts for the Cubs, allowing three earned runs or fewer in each outing, which left him with a 2.18 ERA overall across 33 innings. That should wrap up Wesneski's rookie season, and he's put himself into a strong position to compete for an Opening Day rotation spot in 2023.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Earns third win
Rotowire
Wesneski (3-1) earned the win against the Phillies on Wednesday, allowing one run on six hits with two walks over five innings. He struck out three.
Wesneski ran into trouble in the third inning after hitting Kyle Schwarber with a pitch and giving up a single to Rhys Hoskins in the following at-bat. Schwarber would then come in to score on a sacrifice fly from Bryce Harper. Wesneski also gave up back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth and eventually loaded the bases, but he was able to pitch his way out of the jam. The 24-year-old right-hander now has a 3-1 mark in September and has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last three starts.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Strong outing in win
Rotowire
Wesneski (2-1) earned the victory Thursday in Pittsburgh, striking out six across 6.1 innings while allowing two runs on five hits and two walks.
Wesneski was highly effective through the first six innings, allowing just a run on four hits -- three of them by Bryan Reynolds -- and even throwing an immaculate inning in the fifth. The right-hander allowed a solo homer to Kevin Newman to begin the seventh before retiring his final batter of the evening and being pulled with one out. Wesneski has thrown at least 6.1 innings and allowed two runs or fewer in both of his two starts this year.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Looks sharp in first start
Rotowire
Wesneski allowed just one run on three hits across seven innings but did not factor into the decision in Saturday's game against the Rockies. He had no walks and struck out seven.
Wesneski didn't get the run support he needed for a win in the 3-1 defeat, but he still looked good in his first MLB start. The righty had previously made two relief appearances for the Cubs, allowing three runs across 8.2 innings while striking out 11. The strikeouts have been promising for Wesneski so far, and the 24-year-old is currently penciled in to start again next week against the Pirates. If he continues to impress, he could be in the mix for a 2023 Opening Day rotation spot on a rebuilding Chicago squad.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Slated to start Saturday
Rotowire
Wesneski will start at home Saturday against the Rockies, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
Wesneski's first two big-league appearances have come out of the bullpen, and he's allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 11 in 8.2 innings. He'll have the chance to make his first major-league start Saturday after Wade Miley was pushed back to Monday. It's not yet clear whether Wesneski will remain in the rotation following Saturday's outing, but it's possible that the Cubs utilize a six-man rotation if he performs well against the Rockies.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: MLB debut awaits
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Wesneski's contract from Triple-A Iowa on Monday.
In a corresponding move, Chicago moved starter Justin Steele (back) to the 15-day injured list. Wesneski looks to be the top candidate to assume Steele's spot in the rotation this weekend against the Giants, assuming the 24-year-old righty isn't needed Tuesday against the Reds to serve as a piggyback pitcher behind starter Wade Miley (shoulder), who may be on a limited pitch count in his return from the 60-day IL. Acquired from the Yankees in the Aug. 1 deal that sent reliever Scott Effross to New York, Wesneski generated a 3.92 ERA and 1.16 WHIP while striking out 106 across 110.1 innings between Iowa and the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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Cubs' Hayden Wesneski: Sent to Cubs in Effross deal
Rotowire
The Cubs acquired Wesneski from the Yankees on Monday in exchange for right-handed reliever Scott Effross, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Since Effross had emerged as a key late-inning arm in 2022 and has five years of club control remaining, the non-contending Cubs opted to cash him out while his value was at its height in return for Wesneski, who was one of the top arms in the Yankees' farm system. The 2019 sixth-round draft pick has been impressive at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, churning out a 3.51 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 83:28 across 89.2 innings. The 24-year-old is expected to report to Triple-A Iowa for his new organization, but it wouldn't be surprising if he makes his MLB debut at some point later in 2022 before getting the chance to audition for a full-time spot in the Cubs rotation next spring.
