Cubs starting pitcher likely to need surgery after all, says GM

Chicago Cubs fans got the worst possible news on the Ben Brown front Tuesday morning when Cubs General Manager Carter Hawkins revealed that the emerging right-handed starter would probably need surgery to treat his recurring neck problem.

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Speaking to Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports Network at the GM meetings in Las Vegas, the Cubs exec said that surgery is looking to be the best way to get Brown’s injury under control and to get him back on the active roster.

“Feels like every time we really get in a groove with him there’s a setback,” Hawkins said, “so we’re likely to move forward with the surgical option for him to really try and make sure we nip this in the bud and have him back to full strength, so that’s a process that’s going on right now. We’ll update that when we get more information but expect him to pitch for us next year.”

The 27-year-old pitcher was shut down this past June with the same neck issue that saw him shut down in August of 2024. His injury was later diagnosed as a stress reaction in his C5 vertebra.

Problems in recovery?

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There was talk after this season’s injury of tinkering with the lanky righty’s mechanics to reduce the stress and pressure on his neck. However, with the injury never quite responding the way the team hoped it would, the decision was made to shut him down for the year and weigh treatment options, which included surgery.

On Monday, Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic tipped off the bad news in this a blurb from a report on the Cubs’ possible starting pitching targets this offseason:

“Ben Brown, whose season ended in June after a recurring neck injury, is the biggest question mark. He still hasn’t been cleared to throw and surgery hasn’t been ruled out. At minimum, his immediate future is in question.”

Despite Hawkins’ optimism that Brown will pitch for the Cubs in 2027, surgery always casts doubt on any injury.

The importance of Ben Brown

The problem is that Chicago absolutely doesn’t need more doubt ahead of an offseason where they’re set to lose their entire end-of-season starting rotation and will already be without emerging ace Cade Horton, who underwent Tommy John surgery early last season.

Brown was firmly en route to a breakthrough season in 2026 before the neck injury resurfaced to end his year. He had posted a 1.85 ERA through 20 games and 68 innings pitched, including a 1.70 ERA over 8 starts when asked to move from the bullpen to the starting rotation.

It was widely believed that he had turned a corner in his development, adding a high-end sinker to his pitch repertoire, when he had to be put on the shelf. There’s still belief that Brown could settle into a spot near the front of the rotation, but health has now become a legitimate concern.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-ben-brown-injury-surgery-carter-hawkins/