Welcome to Frown Town: Ben Brown Shut Down

Promising righty Ben Brown has been out of action since early June and the timeline for his return has been pushed back. Brown’s injury was initially described as a stress reaction and Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune specified it as a “benign area of concern” that is not expected to require surgical intervention. However, she added that Brown told her in late June that recovery could involve a 2-3 month “burnout period” that could stretch into at least early September.

While Craig Counsell was unwilling to say Brown would miss the remainder of the regular season, it’s hard to see him making it back if he’s indeed not back to throwing this month. It hasn’t been a great summer for young Cubs pitchers, with Cade Horton likely out for the season and Jordan Wicks missing so much time due to an oblique strain. Discretion is most definitely the better part of valor in these situations, but it still sucks. If all goes well, these guys will be ready to help with a more legitimate playoff push next season.