Cubs' $14.5M Bust Maton Hits IL Again, Pitching in Crisis
Chicago Cubs reliever Phil Maton landed on the 15-day injured list Friday for the second time this season with right knee tendinitis, raising serious questions about a $14.5 million free-agent investment that has yet to deliver. The move deepens a pitching crisis that has sidelined a significant portion of the Cubs' roster and forced the front office to trade away young talent for immediate help.
Why is Phil Maton back on the injured list?
The Cubs confirmed Friday that Maton returns to the 15-day IL with the same right knee tendinitis that sidelined him in April. Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reported the diagnosis, according to CBS Sports. Maton previously went on the IL retroactive to April 8, completed a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa where he threw two scoreless innings, and was reinstated April 27.
His most recent appearance came Thursday against the New York Mets. He surrendered two hits, including a game-tying home run in the seventh inning. The outing reflected a difficult season for the 33-year-old. Maton has posted a 6.08 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, and a 31-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 26 2/3 innings in 2026.
Those numbers represent a stark decline from his 2025 performance. Splitting time between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers last season, Maton recorded a 2.79 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts over 61 1/3 innings. That production convinced Chicago to hand him a two-year, $14.5 million guaranteed contract with a club option for 2028, according to Spotrac. The Louisiana Tech product and 10-year MLB veteran was expected to anchor the setup role in front of closer Daniel Palencia. Instead, he has become a bullpen liability.
How bad is the Cubs pitching crisis?
Maton's IL stint compounds an already dire situation for Chicago's pitching staff. Justin Steele currently sits on the 60-day IL with a left elbow issue. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer called a return to the major league rotation this season