{"id":981390,"date":"2026-08-05T02:40:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T02:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/981390\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T02:40:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T02:40:18","slug":"chicago-cubs-kevin-gausman-clay-holmes-to-debut-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/981390\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Cubs: Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes to debut this weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clay Holmes is ready to get back into big-league action.<\/p>\n

One of the Cubs\u2019 two trade deadline additions to the rotation, Holmes won\u2019t need another rehab start and is ready to come off the 60-day injured list this weekend in Kansas City. Holmes acknowledged Tuesday his preference for his next outing to be with the Cubs rather than a fourth rehab start, and manager Craig Counsell confirmed that is the plan for the 33-year-old.<\/p>\n

Holmes, who has been sidelined since mid-May due to a right fibula fracture, built up to 73 pitches in his third rehab outing Sunday.<\/p>\n

Right-hander Kevin Gausman won\u2019t be making his Cubs debut Thursday against his former team, the Toronto Blue Jays, which would have come on normal rest. Instead, Gausman will get the ball during the Royals series. If the Cubs keep the two in order of their last starts, it would align Gausman for Friday and Holmes on Saturday in Kansas City.<\/p>\n

Holmes expressed his excitement at joining the Cubs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust looking at this team, where they\u2019re at, and, for me, this defense, is probably one of the best places I could have come,\u201d Holmes said Tuesday. \u201cThe Cubs have got really good defense. Obviously, you see them play, and it\u2019s special. So, a guy like me, that\u2019s what I do. I\u2019m a sinker ball guy. Rely on the quality of contact and to really be able to trust the defense like that and know that\u2019s what you have behind you is a freeing thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CHICAGO,Clay Holmes of the Chicago Cubs speaks to the media prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on Aug. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (Michael Reaves\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Cubs could soon face some tough rotation decisions, even beyond right-hander Colin Rea\u2019s rotation spot getting skipped for this turn. Counsell doesn\u2019t foresee the Cubs using a six-man rotation too often, though there might be occasions when it makes sense to deploy. Holmes\u2019 experience and success as a high-leverage reliever \u2014 74 saves and a 2.85 ERA for the Yankees between 2022-24 \u2014 prior to converting to a starter last year potentially creates flexibility.<\/p>\n

Holmes said he would 100% be open to another role as the Cubs look to make the postseason and go on a deep run.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to do whatever you can to win a ball game,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cAt that point, I think that\u2019s what makes the playoffs so fun is it\u2019s really not about one person. It\u2019s not about a role. It\u2019s about what do you have to give and what can you do for the team to win. And so whatever it is down the stretch, starter, the bullpen, I just love being out there when big outs are needed, and whenever that is, I\u2019m all for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tyrone Taylor to get opportunities in left field vs. lefties
\n\"ChicagoChicago Cubs left fielder Tyrone Taylor swings and misses en route to striking out in the second inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Aug. 4, 2026. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

The switch-hitting Ian Happ has typically fared better against right-handers than lefties over the course of his career.<\/p>\n

But Happ\u2019s production against left-handers this season reached a point where Counsell plans to give the 31-year-old some days off versus tough lefties, like Tuesday night with the Los Angeles Dodgers\u2019 newest ace, lefty Tarik Skubal getting the start. The addition of outfielder Tyrone Taylor gives Counsell more flexibility, and Taylor made his Cubs debut in left field and batting sixth.<\/p>\n

Happ is hitting .158 with a .232 on-base percentage and .530 OPS in 125 plate appearances against left-handers this season. Meanwhile, Taylor has a .301\/.311\/.589 slash line this season versus southpaws.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe energy in here is awesome already,\u201d Taylor said pregame Tuesday. \u201cI feel very welcome by all the guys. I\u2019ve met a lot of people, so I\u2019ve gotta really lock it in and learn some names. But, yeah, it\u2019s exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Counsell said there have been conversations with Happ about fewer at-bats when lefties start and more of a platoon but also noted the Cubs are in a stretch of 17 consecutive games without an off day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIan\u2019s struggled against left-handed pitching this year, there\u2019s no question,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cIan\u2019s still going to play against some lefties, but I think Tyrone gives us somebody that he\u2019s going to get at-bats against left-handed pitching for sure, and we\u2019ll just take it from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin Alc\u00e1ntara optioned to Triple A
\n\"LeftLeft fielder Kevin Alcantara celebrates his first career home run in the second inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Arthur Maiorella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

Less than 24 hours after slugging his first major-league home run, the Cubs sent outfielder Kevin Alc\u00e1ntara back to Triple-A Iowa.<\/p>\n

It had been a whirlwind few hours for Alc\u00e1ntara, who arrived about two hours before Monday\u2019s series opener against the Dodgers, in which he started in left field. Alc\u00e1ntara went deep for a two-run home run in the Cubs\u2019 comeback win, one that had been a long time coming since he made his big-league debut in 2024. The plan was always for his recall to be a short one following the addition of Taylor, regardless of his performance Monday.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the life of a player who has minor-league options.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t enjoy that, but we have to pick a roster and we have to try to put the best guys out there, and guys understand that,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cWe sent Kevin down today. He understands. He knows that he did a good job, had a short opportunity but did a lot with it, and that\u2019s satisfying. And he\u2019s got to control his part of it, and that\u2019s what he did on a night like (Monday) night, and you wait for the next opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Clay Holmes is ready to get back into big-league action. One of the Cubs\u2019 two trade deadline additions…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":981391,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5124],"tags":[960,1271,20404,1816,393825,32979,362578,5604,5386,1818,258853,16755,69662],"class_list":["post-981390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chicago","tag-chicago","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-clay-holmes","tag-craig-counsell","tag-cubs-new-pitchers","tag-cubs-rotation","tag-cubs-trade-deadline","tag-ian-happ","tag-il","tag-illinois","tag-kevin-alcantara","tag-kevin-gausman","tag-tyrone-taylor"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/117040595449216280","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/981390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=981390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/981390\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/981391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=981390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=981390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=981390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}