Iowa opens a six-game series with the Columbus Clippers on July 29. And all three of the players could be with Iowa as part of rehabilitation assignments.

The cable giant is reaching out to its one million Chicago-area customers Monday to let them know that beginning Oct. 1, the Marquee Sports Network – the pay-TV home of the Cubs – will move to Comcast’s higher-priced Ultimate tier, which costs $20 more per month.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/maryland as Former Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw helps Chicago Cubs keep pace in pennant race. The Chicago Cubs are in a tie for first place in the National League Central, and that is in no small part thanks to former Maryland third baseman Matt Shaw.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell went into Sunday’s series finale at Rate Field hoping to get four innings from Ben Brown. The right-hander, looking to move past a bad outing Monday, produced one of his best starts of the year in the Cubs’ 5-4 win over the White Sox.

Javier Assad hasn’t pitched for the Chicago Cubs this season because of a left oblique strain. He is nearing a return and will make rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa.

The Cubs and Brewers are set to open a three-game series Sunday as the top two teams in the National League. With the Cubs’ 5-4 win against the White Sox Sunday, claiming the series win at Rate Field, the Cubs (62-43) remained tied with the Brewers for the best record in the NL.

"The Cubs desperately want another starter at the deadline, targeting Mitch Keller of the Pirates, and would include outfield prospect Owen Caissie to make it work," Nightengale wrote on Sunday. Keller has previously been an All Star, and he would be a boost near the front of the Cubs' rotation.

A recent string of good starts has shown how important Chicago Cubs rookie Cade Horton could and will need to be for Chicago to make a deep postseason run.