Assad (oblique) struck out four and allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk over 3.1 innings in a rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Iowa.

EDGE Analysis

Assad has been on the shelf all season after suffering a left oblique strain early in spring training, but he's now reached the final phase of his recovery process. He tossed 66 pitches in Tuesday's outing and is expected to increase his workload in another start with Iowa on Sunday. If all goes well in his second rehab appearance, Assad could return from the 15-day injured list as soon as next weekend. It's not clear if Assad would immediately supplant Ben Brown or Colin Rea for a spot at the back end of the Chicago rotation once he's activated.

Assad (oblique) will make his first rehab start at Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Assad has been pitching in extended spring training games since the start of the season, though Tuesday will mark the first time he's pitched at a minor-league affiliate since landing on the IL with an oblique strain. He'll likely require multiple additional rehab outings, but he shouldn't be more than a few weeks away from returning to Chicago.

Assad (oblique) will throw two innings in an extended spring training game Friday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

He's expected to make an additional appearance in extended spring training after that before heading out on a formal rehab assignment. That would seem to point to Assad being at least a couple weeks away from rejoining the Cubs. Ben Brown is currently holding down the No. 5 spot in Chicago's rotation.

Assad (oblique) was placed on the 15-day injured list, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

Assad is working his way back from a mild left oblique strain suffered early on in camp. Assad has been throwing in camp, so he could return in early April.

Assad (oblique) will begin the season on the injured list, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Assad is aiming to resume throwing off a mound sometime next week, but the Cubs have determined that he won't have enough time to work his way back before the beginning of the season. With Assad now out of the running, Colin Rea, Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown will spend the rest of camp competing for the fifth spot in Chicago's Opening Day rotation.

Assad (oblique) could throw off a mound this week, but a stint on the injured list to begin the season is possible, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Assad is working his way back from a mild left oblique strain suffered early on in camp. He could have enough time to ramp up for Opening Day if he does indeed get back on a mound this week, but a stint on the injured list to begin the season has not been ruled out. Assad came into camp as the presumed favorite to serve as the Cubs' fifth starter, but if he's not ready, Colin Rea, Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown would compete to fill in.

Manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Assad (oblique) has resumed playing catch, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Assad was diagnosed with a mild oblique strain early on in camp but appears to be making strides. It's not clear when he might be ready for mound work and a game appearance, however. Assad is in a competition for the final spot in the Cubs' rotation, so he can't afford too long of a delay.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Assad was diagnosed with a mild oblique strain and will be shut down from throwing for a few days, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The shutdown period is expected to be brief, so the right-hander may not end up missing too much of camp. Assad is poised to compete for the final spot in Chicago's rotation once healthy, but too much of a delayed start to spring training could affect his buildup for the regular season.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday that Assad is dealing with oblique soreness and will undergo imaging Monday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's not clear when Assad was injured, but the issue is significant enough that he's being sent in for an MRI. If healthy, Assad will compete for the final spot in the Cubs rotation after a season where he may have been pitching over his head. He logged a 3.73 ERA in 147 innings while all of his ERA estimators (xERA, FIP, xFIP, SIERA) were above 4.60. Colin Rea, Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks are the other top candidates for the final spot in Chicago's rotation.

Assad is likely vying for the Cubs' fifth rotation spot this spring, with Jordan Wicks among his top competitors, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Assad made a career-high 29 starts a season ago and held his own, compiling a 3.73 ERA and 124 strikeouts across 147 innings. A year earlier, the righty served in a swing role, as he made 10 starts and 22 relief appearances. The Cubs likely want Assad to stick in the rotation, though the top four spots seem spoken for by Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and new addition Matthew Boyd. That leaves Assad, Wicks and possibly others to compete for the No. 5 job. Given Assad's starting experience from 2024, he's likely the favorite at this point.