Cubs fans had been waiting months for Alex Bregman to come up in a big spot at Wrigley Field. Bregman was hitting .212/.320/.313 with four homers and 21 RBI at The Friendly Confines heading into Thursday. Plenty of times this year, Bregman came up in a do-or-die spot, and it ended with a popup, groundout, or strikeout.

Finally, that changed on Thursday down 2-0 with two outs and a 1-2 count on him in the bottom of the ninth against the Blue Jays. Not only did Bregman tie the game with a laser shot into the leftfield corner, he hit it off All Star closer Louis Varland. The 28-year-old flamethrower was a perfect 24/24 in save situations with a 1.09 ERA and 1.58 FIP in 52 appearances.

WE AREN'T DONE YET. pic.twitter.com/p54z2LmEui

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 6, 2026

Alex Bregman comes up big

Pete Crow-Armstrong ultimately started and finished off the Cubs rally, but Bregman had the big swing. Not to mention his backhand play at third in the top of the 10th to steal a run. He truly saved the game twice.

Alex Bregman is putting the Cubs on his back today https://t.co/aD2zh6clag pic.twitter.com/Rmf4eqshnf

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 6, 2026

That had to feel incredible for Bregman. He had a rough go over his first few months in Chicago, to the point where boos rained down from the stands. One could argue Bregman was the last guy they wanted to see up with runners in a big spot. Even Marquee’s Boog Sciambi and Jim Deshaies made a quip about him “having his moment”.

After all the jeers and hisses, watching him pumped up rounding the bases with the place going nuts can bring such a big smile to a Cubs fan’s face.

In the end, fans have wanted to see the shiny, expensive toy do cool things. Regardless if Crow-Armstrong is the best player on the team, Bregman was signed to come through in these moments. He’s done a lot of work to get back into form, and he can hang his hat on this. He was fired up, and the crowd was too. Hopefully a good sign of things to come for him.

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The Chicago Cubs have improved to 67-49 on the season with their thrilling 3-2 walk-off win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon. This was their fourth consecutive win following the MLB trade deadline, a time that saw the Cubs add some much needed pieces to their roster.

One of those pieces came up huge in the victory today. Aaron Civale, who was acquired earlier from the Athletics, pitched three innings of solid relief while allowing one run. While he did not get the win, he was able to keep Chicago in the game.

It was just one example of how the Cubs did exactly what they needed to do ahead of Monday’s deadline.

The Chicago Cubs were named a winner of the MLB trade deadline

Recently, The Athletic released its list of the winners and losers from the MLB trade deadline. Unsurprisingly, they declared the Cubs one of the winners with high praise for everything that they did:

“Coming out of the All-Star break, the Cubs’ rotation lined up like this: Colin Rea, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and David Peterson. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer overhauled that group ahead of the trade deadline, adding a pair of two-time All-Star right-handers, Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman, and lefty Braxton Garrett.

“The Cubs, who also have Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown on the injured list, should be able to flex some of their surplus starters into relief roles in the postseason.

“Tyrone Taylor is another rangy outfield option for the Cubs, but he also has hit left-handed pitching well this season, which could come in handy in October. All of that adding came at a significant cost to the Cubs’ farm system.

“The departure of Jefferson Rojas, in particular, will sting. But the major-league roster is undeniably better because of it, and, in the midst of a division race, that matters most.”

Every addition the Cubs made addressed a pressing need. What is more, they filled those needs with quality players who should be able to contribute in a positive manner for the rest of the season.

The only downside, as referenced above, is that their already low-ranked farm system took a considerable hit. Hopefully they do not regret parting ways with Jefferson Rojas down the road.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs fans can dream of Pete Crow-Armstrong winning the NL MVP
• Pete Crow-Armstrong discusses possibility of winning NL MVP
• MLB analyst reveals why Pete Crow-Armstrong should be frontrunner to win NL MVP

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The post After sweeping the Dodgers, the Cubs fans can dream of Pete Crow-Armstrong winning the MVP appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Wednesday afternoon saw two of the best teams in the National League, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angles Dodgers, face off against each other. While the two own some of the best records in the NL, the Cubs were going for a series sweep.

Additionally, the game saw the two front-runners for NL MVP, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani, lead-off for both teams. Fans at Wrigley Field were sure treated to two spectacular performances.

And a Cubs win.

Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong discusses possibility of winning MVP over Shohei Ohtani

The game started with Ohtani hitting a solo home run to lead-off the first inning. Then, in the bottom of the first, Crow-Armstrong tied the game 1-1 with a solo shot of his own.

Both players finished 3-5 in the game. Both hit two home runs. Crow-Armstrong had more RBI, though, driving in four runs while Ohtani drove in three.

And Chicago won 7-6.

Many viewed the back-and-forth between the two stars as a battle for supremacy in the NL MVP race. When asked if he felt that he had surpassed the Dodgers star in the race, Crow-Armstrong said, “I would be crazy to say that I don’t want to win an MVP but if we’re talking about having priorities straight, I think mine are pretty straight. It’s not on the forefront of my mind.

“It’s fun to joke about it and it’s fun to acknowledge. And I think it’s absolutely okay to pay attention to, but again, it’s not like following me up to the plate. And yeah, I think if you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching. I really should.”

The thing is, though, that Ohtani is not currently pitching due to injuries. What is more, Crow-Armstrong’s defense adds several points to his MLB-leading 7.0 WAR.

If the season were to end today, the Cubs centerfielder might very well be the NL MVP.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson both broke out of slumps on the same date
• New Cubs pitcher strikes up World Series chatter
• Cubs 10-year veteran will lose playing time after Tyrone Taylor addition

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are 66-49 following their sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon. As has been the case all week thus far, the two National League powerhouses were propelled by their best players, Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers.

Both players are having stellar seasons, and each are considered a top-two favorite to win the National League MVP Award. Ohtani, of course, was thought to have the inside track because of his pitching. However, one MLB analyst isn’t so sure anymore.

MLB analyst says Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong should be the NL MVP

Entering play on Wednesday, Crow-Armstrong was hitting .284/.384/.535 with 24 home runs, 65 RBI, and 28 RBI. He also led the Majors with 7.0 WAR. In Chicago’s final game in their series against Los Angeles, he was 3-5 with two more home runs and four RBI.

Prior to the game, Jon Morosi of MLB Network stated that he believes the Cubs centerfielder should be the frontrunner for the NL MVP Award:

“As of right now, I will say Pete Crow-Armstrong is the frontrunner to win the National League MVP.”@jonmorosi highlights the @Cubs superstar and his elite combination of offense and defense ahead of today’s #MLBNShowcase presented by @Goodyear at 2pm ET. pic.twitter.com/9X9Z5dVrlg

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 5, 2026

“As the kids are saying these days, Wrigley is a vibe. It was amazing to be there, I heard the chants, and then I looked at the numbers. I said to myself, ‘What is the argument for PCA to win the MVP in the National League?’

“And as of right now, I will say Pete Crow-Armstrong is the front runner to win the National League MVP.”

Morosi goes on to argue that PCA’s defensive numbers, combined with his offensive numbers, still give him a higher WAR than Ohtani.

And since it is not yet known when or if Ohtani can pitch again this year, PCA may have the upper hand.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson both broke out of slumps on the same date
• New Cubs pitcher strikes up World Series chatter
• Cubs 10-year veteran will lose playing time after Tyrone Taylor addition

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Since being drafted by the Chicago Cubs, Ian Happ has been a steady presence both on and off the field. He has won four straight Gold Glove Awards. He also started a popular baseball podcast called The Compound and launched his own coffee brand, Connect Roasters.

But this season has not been kind to him. He is hitting just above .200. In addition, he is batting .184 with runners in scoring position (RISP) so far this season. His offensive performance has drawn ire from frustrated fans, despite his stellar defense.

It looks like the Cubs had enough as well.

The Cubs desperately needed pitching help, and Jed Hoyer was very aggressive in addressing those needs during the MLB trade deadline on Monday. They did acquire outfielder Tyrone Taylor, who came from the New York Mets with pitcher Clayton Holmes.

But the Cubs didn’t just acquire Taylor for depth. Manager Craig Counsell made that clear the moment Taylor was acquired: Ian Happ will not start against left‑handed pitching anymore.

If you look at Happ’s performance between LHP compared to Taylor’s, you can understand Counsell’s decision.

If Craig Counsell decides to platoon Ian Happ and Tyrone Taylor in left field, the Cubs’ production from LF could be huge.

Happ vs RHPs
.238/.362/.458 — 128 wRC+
43.2% Hard-Hit% | 13.0% Barrel% | .357 wOBA

Taylor vs LHPs
.301/.311/.589 — 145 wRC+
90.0 mph EV | 9.1% Barrel% |… pic.twitter.com/7nkr8SZZFC

— Carson Wolf (@TheWrigleyWire) August 4, 2026

Could this be the beginning of the end for Happ?

For a team fighting to stay afloat in the NL race, Taylor’s addition makes sense. For Happ, he’s losing starts to a newly acquired role player. That has to frustrate him.

This is a seismic shift for Happ, who has been entrenched in left field for years. He has been treated as a lineup fixture regardless of performance. As he heads into free agency after the season, it’s also a blunt acknowledgment of reality. Happ hasn’t been good enough, and the Cubs finally have an alternative who fits what they need.

Taylor isn’t a star, but he’s exactly the type of player the Cubs need at this moment: a right‑handed outfielder who hits lefties and doesn’t shrink in high‑leverage spots. More importantly, Taylor played for Counsell from 2019-2023 in Milwaukee, and hit a career-high 17 home runs in 2022. Taylor is not a stranger to playing in Wrigley Field.

Meanwhile, Happ has been brutal against left‑handed pitching this season. He has struck out 145 times. His at‑bats lack conviction. Counsell didn’t sugarcoat it — Taylor is here to take those matchups.

The message is simple yet blunt: the Cubs are no longer waiting for Happ to turn it around. They’re moving forward with someone who can help them win right now.

For Cubs fans, they are also getting a glimpse into a life after Happ.

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The Chicago Cubs were one of the most active teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline. So far, the moves they made have sure paid off as they are on the verge of sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles, of course, landed the biggest name on the trading block this year in two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The Cubs defeated him on Tuesday night.

Chicago, too, landed a pretty high-profile pitcher themselves. They were able to acquire two-time All-Star starter Kevin Gausman, who will make his Cubs debut on Friday.

Kevin Gausman reveals his wife’s reaction to Chicago Cubs trade

Gausman spent the last 4.5 seasons in Toronto. But before that he was a long-time member of the Baltimore Orioles for a while. During that time to start out his Major League career, he was often linked to the Cubs in trade rumors.

So when he was finally dealt to Chicago last weekend, Gausman says that his wife told him: “It’s about time.” He added, “Because just in Baltimore for years, it seemed like it was kind of always a link to here. … Happy that I’m here finally.

“Being a part of a team when they can bring guys in and you know that they’re going for it, it’s almost like a shot of adrenaline and can kind of breathe some life into the team. It doesn’t seem like this team needs it, to be honest, but still excited to be here.”

The two-time All-Star is 5-10 with a 4.39 ERA so far this season, his worst marks in several years. Hopefully a change of scenery will do him good.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson both broke out of slumps on the same date
• New Cubs pitcher strikes up World Series chatter
• Cubs 10-year veteran will lose playing time after Tyrone Taylor addition

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs, on Tuesday, not only notched a victory over the back-to-back defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but they also did it with new Dodger Tarik Skubal on the mound. The victory at Wrigley Field secured them the series win versus the overwhelming 2026 World Series favorites.

More News: New Chicago Cubs pitcher strikes up World Series chatter

Among the heroes of the 5-1 win were second baseman Nico Hoerner and shortstop Dansby Swanson. Both homered in the game, with Swanson actually doing so off Skubal. On the evening, Hoerner went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs while Swanson was 3-for-4 with a homer and an RBI.

Tuesday’s performances were actually just part of the continuing upward offensive trajectory for both.

Swanson and Hoerner come alive

More News: Chicago Cubs: 4 big questions following the trade deadline haul

In August alone, the two have combined for a .345 average with three home runs and four RBIs.

But the trend goes back even further. Interestingly enough, both middle infielders turned things around on a previously dreadful offensive season on the exact same date—June 24, in the Cubs’ double header with the New York Mets.

Since that day—a day where Swanson had a historic 11 RBIs—both players have been red-hot.

Hoerner has hit .307 in the 34 games starting with the 24th. He now looks like his usual self, making contact and smartly aggressive in putting the ball in play.

Swanson is hitting .275 since that day, but he also has 8 home runs and 27 RBIs in that run. Prior to that, there was real talk about benching the veteran, whose average was down to .189 before the start of the twin bill in New York.

To their credits, their defense never suffered during the offensive doldrums. They were still contributing. But, of course, bringing their bats along is a big deal for this team with real postseason aspirations.

Coming along at the perfect time

The connection between the double-play partners has been written about before and that synergy makes the simultaneous offensive awakening all the more interesting.

“We just have an understanding of how we want to play the game, how we want to work, and how we want to prepare,” Swanson said of Hoerner earlier in the season. “It makes it very seamless when you have two guys that are cut from the same cloth.”

“His preparation,” Hoerner responded to a question regarding what makes Swanson a special ball player. “He knows himself really well, and he’s definitely got his routine down in the most efficient way you can do it… he’s got it to where he’s able to be at his best every day regardless of how he’s feeling and knowing when to work and when to take a day lighter and manage that so he’s at his best playing. That’s definitely something that I can improve on.”

Whatever the reason, the two have awoken at the absolute perfect time—just as the Cubs are fortifying their roster and making that last push towards the playoffs.

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The Chicago Cubs bagged one of the top three or four starting pitchers on the trade deadline wish lists of fans and media when they acquired Clay Holmes from the New York Mets.

More News: Chicago Cubs: 4 big questions following the trade deadline haul

It would cost them no. 2 prospect Jefferson Rojas to grab the veteran righty, along with outfielder Tyrone Taylor, but most analysts agree that the deal was a smart one for a Cubs team serious about making a strong postseason run.

On Tuesday, the 33-year-old Holmes talked to media about the move to Chicago and how he’s walked into an absolute perfect fit as a groundball specialist.

Clay Holmes on his perfect fit

More News: Why Chicago Cubs fans gave Kyle Tucker brutal Wrigley reception

“I’m super excited,” Holmes told reporters. “Obviously, there were a lot of things floating out there. You just look at this team, where they’re at, and for me, this defense is probably one of the best places I could have come.

“People around the league, you know the Cubs have got a really good defense. Obviously you see them play and it’s special. A guy like me, that’s what I do. I’m a sinker ball guy and rely on quality of contact. To be able to trust a defense like that and know that’s what you have behind you is a freeing thing.”

“This is a complete team,” Holmes added. “You have the defense, the lineup, the pitching. Just to see the roster, I mean, it’s an exciting group.”

The nine-year veteran has had a unique major league run, transitioning from an elite closer to a high-end starting pitcher over the last two seasons. The one constant, though, is his ability to generate weak contact and get outs. He’s also managed a 55.8 percent groundball rate since becoming a full-time starter.

Holmes, who will soon be activated from the 60-day IL after recovering from a fractured fibula earlier in the season, is reportedly slated to make his Cubs debut in the upcoming Kansas City Royals series.

The move from the jumbled dysfunction of the last place Mets to the surging, likely playoff-bound Cubs has seemingly energized Holmes, who is now even tossing out a bit of World Series talk.

Energized and hungry

“You want to win your last game,” Holmes said. “You put in all the work, you put in all the preparation, you forge relationships to be a team that wins it at the end. And to know you have a real chance to do that, especially at this point in the season, is energizing.

“I’ve felt it before in my career. I’ve lost a World Series. And there’s that hunger of wanting to be the last team standing.”

Following the Cubs’ deadline haul and after taking the first two games of their series against the back-to-back defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers—one of them against new Dodger Tarik Skubal—a lot of positivity is sprouting up everywhere in Chicago.

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Over the last two games, the Chicago Cubs have faced a pair of southpaws in the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation. First, they drew Justin Wrobleski, who saw his ERA jump from 2.88 to 3.31 after the Cubs tagged him with seven earned runs and four home runs allowed. Then, prized trade deadline addition Tarik Skubal took the mound, allowing two earned runs over six innings pitched, but Chicago got the last laugh by a second consecutive game against the National League powerhouse.

That said, missing from the starting lineup in both of those contests was outfielder Ian Happ. The 10 year veteran has had a down year in the batting average department, sitting at just .215 as of August 4, but has maintained a respectable .328 on-base percentage, .413 slugging percentage, and a 105 OPS+ with 18 home runs on the season.

Happ, a switch hitter, owns a career .233/.308/.383 line against southpaws, numbers that are noticeably different compared to when he swings from the other side of the plate. This year, however, those averages are down a lot more than normal, coming in at just .158/232/.298 with just eight extra base hits all year in those situations.

Those numbers are one of the reasons why Jed Hoyer targeted a right-handed-hitting outfielder at the trade deadline. The Cubs filled that role by acquiring Tyrone Taylor, reuniting him with manager Craig Counsell. Furthermore, the club has officially announced that Happ will cede playing time against left-handed pitching for the remainder of the season, with Taylor expected to take on a larger role in those matchups.

Ian Happ will platoon for the Chicago Cubs the remainder of the season

During an appearance on The Score Chicago’s Spiegel and Holmes afternoon show, Counsell discussed the acquisition of Taylor and how it will affect the Cubs’ lineup moving forward. Counsell indicated that Happ will see significantly less playing time against left-handed pitching for the remainder of the season.

The primary reason for the change is Taylor’s production against left-handed pitching. The right-handed hitter is slashing .289/.299/.566 against southpaws this season, giving the Cubs a legitimate platoon option in left field. That doesn’t mean Happ’s role will disappear, however. He is still expected to enter games later, depending on the matchup, once the opposing starter has exited and the bullpen takes over.

While it may be an adjustment for Happ, the move reflects the Cubs’ commitment to putting the best possible lineup on the field as the end of the season draws near and every matchup carries extra weight.

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It was bittersweet for fans Monday afternoon when the Cubs included Moisés Ballesteros in a deal with the Angels to acquire controlled reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. The 22-year-old catcher/DH had spent the last few years showing off impressive bat skills at all levels within the Cubs organization. He looked like a hitter who could not be let go of, despite being primarily a matchup DH.

It felt like just yesterday he was hitting .400/.443/.665 over his first 26 games this season. However, the league adjusted to him quickly, eventually landing him back in Triple A Iowa. Still, he’s only 22 with upside. There’s no doubt it can hurt to part ways with a young high-upside guy, but one can reflect on why he was included in the Zeferjahn deal and understand it.

Parting ways with Ballesteros

As mentioned before, the bat really tailed off after opponents started adjusting. He went from hitting .400 to slashing just .231/.303/.385 by the time he was demoted mid-June. MLB velocity gave Ballesteros some grief as he hit just .116 with a 40% whiff rate off four-seamers. Unfortunately, he continued to struggle in Iowa, hitting just .235/.347/.353 with two homers in 32 games.

To reinforce an earlier statement, this is not a verdict on Ballesteros’s career. He was a top prospect for a reason and up until a few months ago was mashing at every level. Adjustments, slumps, and growing pains will happen to young players. The key here is that his current lack of a solidified defensive position gave him a much shorter rope at a time the Cubs are in win-now mode.

Ballesteros caught a few innings with the Cubs this season, but Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya are the set catchers. Add to the fact that prospect Owen Ayers is shooting up the Cubs farm as a potential future option. The current value in Ballesteros is strictly the bat, so he had to be producing to maintain value with the club. Otherwise, there just was not a spot for him.

Is it easy to give up on an upside bat like his? No. Could he have theoretically stayed in the organization to work on things? Yes. However, the Cubs needed a high-powered reliever, and one under control like Zeferjahn was going to be expensive. Ballesteros had a murkier future with the club in terms of fit, and the time seemed appropriate for the Cubs to get what they needed while he had trade value.

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The Chicago Cubs entered the weekend of the MLB trade deadline with crystal clear needs. They needed to arm or two to fortify their bullpen, and they need as many starting pitchers as they could possibly acquire. Both the starting rotation and bullpen staffs have been ravaged by injuries this year, but Chicago has been able to weather to the storm (for the most part).

In the finals days and hours leading up to the deadline, the Cubs were able to add three starting pitchers and a reliever. In doing so, they accomplished everything they set out to do.

ESPN names the Chicago Cubs one of the winners of the MLB trade deadline

ESPN named the Los Angeles Dodgers as the biggest winner of the deadline for an obvious reason. That is, because they were able to acquire two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

However, they also believe Chicago should be counted among the winners, writing:

“The Cubs needed pitching help of all denominations at the deadline, and they went out and got just that by adding Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman, Braxton Garrett and Ryan Zeferjahn. They did give up one of their top prospects in shortstop Jefferson Rojas as well as fan favorite Moises Ballesteros, but Garrett and Zeferjhan come with future years of team control (and Holmes has a player option for 2027).

“It’s a bold series of moves given the Cubs are still 6½ games behind the Brewers, but a revamped rotation with Holmes, Gausman, Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga looks like one that, paired with a lineup that has scored as many runs as the Dodgers, could go on an extended playoff run.

Chicago did have to give up Rojas and Ballesteros, two of their more exciting developing players. However, they got controllable pitching as well as some high-quality rentals.

Since the Brewers were not able to add a bat or land what can be considered any splash players, Chicago could erase that deficit in the NL Central real soon.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• 4 big questions for the Cubs following their massive trade deadline haul
• Jed Hoyer finally acts like a big market GM for the Cubs
• Why Cubs fans gave Kyle Tucker a brutal reception at Wrigley Field

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs made a splash with their trade deadline haul this season. By the 5 pm CT cutoff on Monday, the team had five new pieces to their puzzle and had, ostensibly, filled the gaping holes that needed to be filled en route to a serious postseason run.

More News: Why Chicago Cubs fans gave Kyle Tucker brutal Wrigley reception

Walking away from the deadline, the Cubs added Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays, Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets, Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins, and Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels. In return, Chicago gave up several prized prospects, including Jefferson Rojas, Moises Ballesteros, Jonathan Long, and Mason McGwire.

Overall, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is being rightfully hailed for his bold trade deadline moves. But there are still some questions remaining after the haul. Here are four of the biggest:

The Mets’ PCA payback?

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On Monday, the Cubs got two major-league rentals—Holmes and Taylor—from the Mets for their push to the playoffs. In return, they gave away a young, highly-regarded, high-ceiling prospect. It’s almost the exact same scenario as 2021 when the Cubs traded Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to the playoff-aspiring Mets for a 19-year-old Pete Crow-Armstrong. Could this recent swap be the Mets’ payback for that fail?

The 21-year-old Rojas, ranked no. 2 in the Cubs system, is a legit talent with a real big league upside, especially when it comes to offense. In a couple of years, when Holmes and Taylor are long gone from Chicago, could the Cubs be looking back at Rojas as the Mets now look back at PCA?

A Clay Holmes extension?

Holmes is exactly the type of pitcher that profiles well with the Cubs’ stellar defense behind him. And although the veteran is finishing up a rehab assignment in the minors after suffering a fractured right fibula earlier in the season, he’s expected to do quite well in Chicago.

But Holmes’ player option for 2027 is a serious point of concern for the Cubs and their fans who worry that he could very well be just a rental asset.

These days, most players with options decide to become free agents. But given the uncertainties related to a pending labor dispute and the feeling that much of the season might be lost because of it, dynamics have changed.

Could Holmes decide to exercise his $12 million option for 2027, play out whatever part of the season remains, and then opt for free agency in 2028 when the market would be more stable? That’s a distinct possibility, especially considering that he was reportedly willing to talk extension with the Mets before being traded. The Cubs are likely hoping for that to be the case.

What about Ian Happ?

Ian Happ will still see the lion’s share of playing time in left field, but it’s pretty clear at this point that the team acquired Tyrone Taylor to take Happ’s at bats versus lefties. Happ is batting a meager .158 versus southpaws this season, while Taylor is hitting .301 against them. Taylor is also very good defensively, so the Cubs don’t really lose that much with him playing left instead of the four-time Gold Glover.

The bigger question for Happ, though, centers around next season when he becomes eligible for free agency. Would the Cubs bring him back after basically designating him as a platoon player this season? How will this affect his free agent asking price overall? Since Seiya Suzuki will also be a free agent, will this latest development make it more likely that the team picks Suzuki if facing a “can’t sign them both” scenario?

Who makes the new rotation?

In just a matter of a day or so, the Cubs have gone from having a starting pitching deficiency to having a surplus. With Gausman and Holmes moving in, the rotation is now Gausman, Holmes, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and David Peterson. And with Edward Cabrera slotted for his second of three minor league rehab starts on Wednesday, the five-man rotation will soon enough consist of eight pitchers.

Make no mistake about it, having too much starting pitching is a good problem to have. But the situation will require some creative roster management.

Assad and Rea will probably go back to the bullpen first, with Peterson joining them after Cabrera comes back. Then, of course, the bullpen will need to be trimmed to accommodate the three repurposed starting pitchers.

Come playoff time, the real advantage of having a pitching surplus will kick in—unlike last season when the Cubs essentially hobbled into the postseason with two, arguably three, reliable starters.

The post Chicago Cubs: 4 big questions following the trade deadline haul appeared first on ChiCitySports.

For the first time in a long time, the Chicago Cubs approached the MLB trade deadline with the urgency, decisiveness, and financial muscle of a franchise that knows exactly what it is: a big‑market team with big‑market expectations.

And after last year’s passive, frustrating deadline, Jed Hoyer finally delivered the aggressive, targeted action Cubs fans have been waiting for.

This wasn’t a half‑measure. This wasn’t prospect hoarding disguised as prudence. This was a front office acknowledging reality — and acting on it.

Chicago entered deadline day with a rotation stretched to its limits and a bullpen that had been asked to survive far too many high‑leverage innings. Injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of internal depth made the Cubs one of the clearest “buyer‑needs‑pitching” teams in baseball.

Hoyer responded with exactly the moves a contending team should make: a legitimate starting pitcher to stabilize the rotation and a real bullpen arm capable of handling late‑inning pressure. And they are actual reinforcements.

It all started on Sunday, when they acquired Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for two minor-league hitters, Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene.

Then on Monday, the Cubs were very active in their quest for more pitching. Cubs insider Michael Cerami reported that they acquired starting pitcher Reid Detmers from the Los Angeles Angels. However, it was quickly refuted by ESPN insider Jesse Rogers. They instead acquired LHP Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins in exchange for the minor league 1B Jonathon Long and RHP Jace Beck. 

They still did end up making a deal with the Angels, but instead of Detmers, they acquired hard-throwing reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for catcher/DH Moisés Ballesteros and minor league pitcher Mason McGwire. Hoyer put a finishing touch to the trade deadline by acquiring pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets for top prospect Jefferson Rojas.

The front office finally matched the clubhouse’s effort

This Cubs team has flaws, but it also fights. They’ve stayed atop in a crowded NL Wildcard race while battling through injuries and slumps. They’ve shown enough to deserve help. 

On Monday, Hoyer sent a message to the clubhouse: your effort is being rewarded, and your season matters. That’s not something players forget. It’s not something fans forget either. It is night and day from last year’s deadline, when Hoyer largely stood pat despite glaring roster needs. 

But this year, Hoyer acted like an executive who understood what was at stake. Both the front office and the ownership finally acted like a big‑market operation after being criticized in the past. 

Giving up both Ballesteros and Rojas could come back to haunt Hoyer in the future. But he managed to keep Matt Shaw, Pedro Ramirez, and top catching prospect Owen Ayers also.

He could have waited for many pitchers, who are currently on the IL to come back. But he addressed the rotation. He strengthened the bullpen. He treated the deadline like an opportunity and with urgency. 

And that alone marks a meaningful step forward.

The post Jed Hoyer finally acts like a big market GM for the Chicago Cubs appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs fans were not kind to Kyle Tucker in his first return to Wrigley Field after signing on with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason.

More News: Chicago Cubs: What it would’ve taken to get Tarik Skubal

The Wrigley loyal booed the right fielder mercilessly during both pre-game introductions and during his first at bat.

“I tried my hardest last year,” Tucker told The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, referring to the less-than-friendly reception he got at the Friendly Confines. “I tried playing through a hand fracture and calf thing, just trying to get back to the playoffs for them and trying to do what I could to help out the team last year with them.”

The booing managed to make headlines even amid a hectic trade deadline day, a well-received deadline haul by the Cubs, and Chicago’s 10-5 win over the Dodgers.

Why Kyle Tucker got booed

More News: Chicago Cubs: Edward Cabrera’s rehab outing delivers good news and bad news

The Cubs fans’ reaction to their 2025 star right fielder puzzled veteran MLB insider Bruce Levine, who asked sports radio hosts David Haugh and Mike Mulligan of 104.3 The Score’s Mully & Haugh Show to explain the “why” behind it.

“Kyle Tucker never really looked like he wanted to be at Wrigley Field…that is the perception,” Haugh said. “He was not somebody who looked like he bought into the Cubs experience…He never looked like he wanted to be here. So, when he returns, ‘boooo.’”

Mulligan then added his perspective.

“They gave him all the love in the world,” he said. “In the first half, he was unbelievable. And they gave him all the love in the world even when things were going wrong and he never seemed to embrace it.”

Signing on with the Dodgers for a very “Dodger-y” four-year, $240 million contract didn’t help Tucker’s public perception any. But the Dodgers contract wasn’t the real reason Tucker got booed by a fan base that usually receives ex-Cubs with open arms.

Tucker did play an instrumental role in the 2025 Cubs’ success in the first half of the season when he served as a linchpin for a Cubs offense that was looking like a juggernaut.

Souring on Tucker

In the second half of the season, though, Tucker had grown ice cold and fans who were previously bullish on getting him extended before he headed out into free agency were suddenly not all that concerned about losing him.

Tucker flat-lined after July 1 and became entrenched in a career-worst extended slump from July to mid-September that led to boos from the normally mega-loyal Wrigley Field fans. Then, just days after seemingly snapping out of his slump, he suffered a calf strain that dragged on for more than three weeks, hobbling him throughout the playoffs and forcing him into a DH-only role.

At the time, there were signs that the Tucker-Cubs relationship was not so harmonious, but nobody really focused on them. For instance, Tucker opting to leave the team for calf treatment in Tampa Bay on the day the Cubs clinched a playoff spot in September raised some eyebrows and brought into question whether Tucker was really interested in being a Cub.

When he was healthy and locked in, Tucker was an incredible boost to the offense. When he wasn’t—like for nearly half the season—he dragged the team down around him. All in all, he just seemed to be fragile, both physically and mentally, prone to long stretches of on-field doldrums that he was slow to snap out of.

And, worst of all for Cubs fans, he never seemed like he cared to be a Cub. That, right there, may be the biggest sin he committed. In the eyes of many, Chicago was just a forced layover en route to bigger things.

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As expected, the Chicago Cubs targeted pitching additions prior to yesterday’s trade deadline passing. David Peterson and Aaron Civale have been with the team for a while now, but joining the organization more recently was Kevin Gausman, Ryan Zeferjahn, Braxton Garrett, and Clay Holmes.

Figuring out where all six of these pitchers slot in will be the next job for manager Craig Counsell, but importantly the impending return of two key pieces to their staff must be factored in as well. Per Patrick Mooney, starter Edward Cabrera and reliever/closer Daniel Palencia will throw rehab outings in Triple-A Iowa on Wedneday, August 5. Their timeline to return is the middle of August. Cabrera did make a rehab appearance prior to the trade deadline.

As Jed Hoyer’s front office loads up on pitching before the trade deadline, the Cubs are also scheduling Edward Cabrera and Daniel Palencia for rehab outings on Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa, a timeline that would potentially have them activated by the middle of August.

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) August 3, 2026

After working with a short handed pitching staff all year, reinforcements have arrived for the Chicago Cubs

Pitching injuries are an unavoidable part of every season, but few teams have been hit as hard as the Cubs in 2026. Chicago lost Cade Horton for the year, saw Justin Steele suffer a setback, watched Matthew Boyd miss time because of an off-the-field injury, and had Ben Brown’s breakout campaign interrupted by a neck issue. Veteran reliever Phil Maton has also battled tendinitis, adding to what has been a seemingly endless stream of pitching setbacks.

Despite the constant adversity, the Cubs have managed to keep their staff together, making their aggressive approach at the trade deadline look increasingly necessary. That said, once Cabreras returns, Counsell will have upwards of eight starting pitchers to choose from and a much improved and versatile bullpen to work with.

These additions over the past few days were not only necessary to help the Cubs navigate the remainder of the regular season, but they also give the organization its best chance to make another deep postseason run.

The post 2 injury updates make the Cubs’ trade deadline pitching haul look even better appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs made no secret of the fact that they wanted to acquire no less than three pitchers ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Over the last 24 hours, they certainly have done their very best to do so.

On Sunday night, it was reported that they acquired two-time All-Star starter Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays. Then on Monday, they got Braxton Garrett a from the Miami Marlins, and Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels.

But they were not done. Just ahead of the deadline, Chicago nabbed one of the bigger names left on the market.

The Chicago Cubs trade from Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor

Despite meeting their goal of three new arms, Chicago was not done. They also have acquired starting pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets:

The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-hander Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets for infielder Jefferson Rojas, sources tell ESPN. The deal is pending medical review.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026

Holmes is currently on the 60-day IL after suffering a fractured fibula back in May when he was hit by a line drive. However, he has completed two rehab starts already and is close to returning. So far in 2026, Holmes is 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA.

What makes the addition of Holmes so much sweeter is that he was reportedly a target of the hated Milwaukee Brewers.

And speaking of the Brewers, their former outfielder, Taylor, is hitting .241/.290/.503 with 10 home runs and 28 RBI in 67 games this season.

Obviously, he is familiar with manager Craig Counsell, who was with him in Milwaukee before Taylor was traded to the Mets following the 2023 season.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs acquire Kevin Gausman from Blue Jays
• Cubs likely will not trade 2 coveted bats amid pitching needs
• Cubs trade Jameson Taillon to the Blue Jays

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs made it known that they wanted to acquire no less than three pitchers ahead of the MLB trade deadline. They either wanted two starters and a reliever, or two relievers on a starter. As it turns out, they got the former.

On Sunday night, Chicago acquired two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays. Then, on Monday, they landed the oft-injured Braxton Garrett, a right-handed starter, from the Miami Marlins.

Finally, with the deadline just two hours away, they have added the reliever they wanted.

The Chicago Cubs acquire Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels

Shortly after the news of Garrett’s acquisition was announced, it was reported that Chicago also acquired right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels:

The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026

Of course, the Angels pitcher that every Cubs fan wanted was Reid Detmers. However, Zerferjahn is a great get for Chicago.

He is not going to hit free agency until 2031, and is not even arbitration eligible until 2028.

So far this season, Zeferjahn is 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA in 45 appearances. He also has four saves.

For his career, he is 10-8 with a 3.94 ERA and six saves.

In order to Zeferjahn, who has so many more years of club control remaining, the Cubs sent Moises Ballensteros to Los Angeles. While he started the year on the Major League roster, Ballensteros was demoted to Triple-A Iowa where he could get more regular at-bats and develop as a catcher and first baseman.

Apparently, Chicago did not like what they saw from him after his demotion and are now ready to send their recent top prospect out of town.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs acquire Kevin Gausman from Blue Jays
• Cubs likely will not trade 2 coveted bats amid pitching needs
• Cubs trade Jameson Taillon to the Blue Jays

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs made it known that they wanted to acquire multiple pitchers ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline. With that deadline coming up quickly (at 5:00 PM CT today), there have been a flurry of moves across baseball.

On Sunday night, Chicago made one of the more noteworthy trades, landing two-time All-Star right-handed starter Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays. He is 5-10 with a 4.39 ERA in what has been a down year for the long-time veteran.

And on Monday, hours ahead of the deadline, the Cubs got a second starting pitcher.

The Chicago Cubs trade for Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins

Earlier in the afternoon, it was reported that the Cubs had come to an agreement to trade for left-handed Los Angeles Angels starter Reid Detmers. He had been linked to Chicago for a long time.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a false report. Instead, the Cubs have traded for left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins:

The Chicago Cubs are acquiring left-hander Braxton Garrett in a trade with the Miami Marlins, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026

For a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries all year long, this acquisition is a bit of a head-scratcher. Garrett first had Tommy John surgery in 2017 when he was in the minors. He had it again in December of 2024 and missed all of 2025 as a result.

In two starts since his return from injury this year, he is 0-1 with a 14.56 ERA.

That being said, Garrett is under club control through the 2028 season. Chicago wanted a controllable starter, and they got one. Whether or not he can stay healthy is a different question altogether.

Garrett has a 16-20 record and 4.16 ERA for his career.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs acquire Kevin Gausman from Blue Jays
• Cubs likely will not trade 2 coveted bats amid pitching needs
• Cubs trade Jameson Taillon to the Blue Jays

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs picked up veteran starting pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday afternoon for prospects (OF) Brett Bateman and (IF) Ty Southisene.

More News: Chicago Cubs urged to get aggressive in pursuit of Angels’ Reid Detmers

This was a solid trade and it offers an immediate upgrade for a starting rotation besieged by injury and missing several key figures. The young talent dealt, although well-regarded and ranked in the Top 30 of their organization, wasn’t considered high-end. Cubs president Jed Hoyer and the front office can walk away from this one feeling good.

A day before the Gausman deal, however, their big chance to make a major splash evaporated when it was announced that back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal had been acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder (and one-time Cubs prospect) Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith.

The return the Detroit Tigers got for their free agency-bound ace was been debated over the last couple of days. Some saw the return as light for a pitcher of Skubal’s prominence. Others viewed it as weighty for what amounts to two months of Skubal’s regular season.

What the Cubs would’ve had to give up

More News: Chicago Cubs have disappointing backup plan for trade deadline, per report

Whatever the case, the deal sort of established the real world baseline value for the elite rental arm. And the baseline is—an MLB Top 30 prospect (Hope) and a pair of high-level pitching prospects with injury and/or consistency concerns.

Lance Brozdowski, Player Development Analyst for Marquee Sports Network, recently shared what he feels would’ve been the Cubs equivalent to what the Dodgers gave up for Skubal.

According to Brozdowski, Chicago would’ve had to give up pitcher Ben Brown, either OF Josiah Hartshorn (no. 1 prospect) or INF Pedro Ramirez, and no. 3 pitching prospect (no. 8 overall) Brooks Caple.

That would’ve been a hefty price to pay for what they were getting in return and how long they’d have it. For the Dodgers, it made sense as they are World Series favorites looking to secure a third straight championship. Plus, they have the farm system depth to swing a trade like this without it feeling like a real drain.

As for the Cubs?

Too much?

Realistically, even having Skubal onboard and at the top of the rotation is no guarantee that the team will grab a World Series trophy. This is not to say that the Cubs wouldn’t have a shot at winning it all—or that they still couldn’t, if lots of things go in their favor—but there are still significant holes and inconsistencies in this team. Trading away three young talents with high-end potential would probably be too much for what they’d get from the elite lefty.

There is an “other hand,” though. Brown has that recurring neck issue that will likely keep him shut down for the rest of this season and may cap his future potential just as he began to breakthrough to next-level success. And when it comes to the minor league talent in such a deal, there’s never a guarantee that any prospect will actually pan out.

At the end of the day, this is more debate fodder than anything else. Skubal is with the Dodgers and the Cubs got Gausman at a reasonable price with, likely, more to come by the time the deadline comes around.

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Over the weekend, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers both bolstered their pitching staff with additions to their starting rotation. Naturally, the Dodgers loaded up their team with even more talent by winning the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, sending three prospects to the Detroit Tigers in return.

The Cubs, meanwhile, addressed their own rotation by acquiring Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays. Chicago parted with two prospects to land the veteran right-hander, who is set to become a free agent after the season. Gausman last pitched on Aug. 1 and has not yet been assigned a debut date with the Cubs, though if he remains on his normal schedule, he is expected to make his first start later this week.

The Dodgers, however, have already announced when Skubal will take the mound. The blockbuster acquisition is set to make his Los Angeles debut on Tuesday, Augusut 4, at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

Chicago Cubs will be the first to see Tarik Skubal in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform

After dropping two out of three over a weekend series against the New York Yankees, Chicago goes right into a match up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Monday’s game will begin with a pair of lefties on the mound, Matthew Boyd for the Cubs and Justin Wrobleski for the Dodgers, but then on Tuesday all eyes will be on Skubal, especially with TBS airing the game too.

Before being traded, Skubal owned a 2.79 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He missed some time this year recovering from arthroscopic elbow surgery, but by all accounts is back firing on all cylinders. Facing this pair of elite lefties back-to-back won’t be easy, but could resemble what any team has to get through in the National League come the post season.

For the Cubs, the series provides a glimpse of the caliber of pitching it could encounter in October. There’s no easing into life after the trade deadline, and the Cubs will get an immediate test against one of baseball’s most formidable aces.

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The Chicago Cubs got at least one of the potential missing pieces to their puzzle on Sunday when they acquired veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays for a pair of prospects (OF Brett Bateman and IF Ty Southisene).

More News: Chicago Cubs reportedly focused on one particular young pitcher at deadline

The 35-year-old Gausman, who is eligible for free agency at the end of this season, will slide into the rotation and is expected to provide some much-needed stability to a staff that has been stressed and strained by injury all season. He’ll also bring some serious postseason experience with him.

But nobody is expecting Gausman to be the only Cubs addition made by the August 3, 5 pm CT MLB trade deadline.

Buzz is everywhere, and rumors abound regarding Cubs president Jed Hoyer’s plans for a deadline-day haul. But with Kevin Gausman, Tarik Skubal, Luis Castillo, Freddy Peralta, and, most recently, Jose Soriano all off the market, the available options are beginning to look increasingly slim. Hoyer’s reported focus on acquiring a starting pitcher with years of team control just adds to the difficulty of bringing another starting pitcher to Chicago.

One major target remains

More News: Chicago Cubs have disappointing backup plan for trade deadline, per report

One name still out there is the Angels’ Reid Detmers.

The 27-year-old southpaw has been pegged as a perfect fit for the Cubs for awhile now, both for his ability to generate swings and misses and due to the fact that he’s working under a very affordable contract through the 2028 season. This season, he’s posted a less-than-spectacular a 3-7 record with a 4.03 ERA for the last place Angels, but his FIP—which may be a truer measure of how well he’s actually pitching—is 3.35.

The Angels, however, are reportedly asking for a very hefty return for the young arm. In the case of the Cubs, it’s been reported that they want a package that includes fast-rising catching prospect Owen Ayers, who the team values greatly and sees as potentially MLB-ready next season.

But Detmers could be, by all accounts, a building block player and a real asset heading into a 2027 campaign where Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga might be lost to free agency and Cade Horton and Justin Steele could be non-factors due to injury.

This year vs. Last year

One can’t help but draw a connection between this trade deadline and last year’s when Hoyer and the Cubs played things conservatively and didn’t take the risk to land a needed high-end starting pitcher. In the end, it could be argued that they’re inability to get what they needed at the deadline was a major factor in the team stalling in the second round of the playoffs.

Jake Misener of Cubbies Crib is nudging Hoyer towards pulling the trigger on the Detmers trade:

“Layer in the fact we don’t really know what (if anything) Chicago will get from Cade Horton and Justin Steele and it’s clear that a starter that comes with multiple years of control is a must if we’re to call the 2026 MLB trade deadline a success. Detmers profiles well and could be a huge get for this team, and show that Hoyer learned his lesson from settling, rather than getting aggressive last time around.”

Later this afternoon, we’ll know how this drama plays out.

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The Chicago Cubs are 63-49 on the season and sit 6.5 games out of first place in the National League Central Division. They do, however, hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League and are on pace to make the postseason again this year.

It really is an astonishing feat that the Cubs have been this good in 2026 considering how many injuries they have had to endure to their pitching staff. All season long, arm after arm has been placed on the injured list, sometimes more than once.

Fortunately, they were able to add a substantial arm ahead of the trade deadline.

MLB analyst gives the Chicago Cubs an A for acquiring Kevin Gausman

On Sunday night, Chicago acquired two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays. He may only be 5-10 with a 4.39 ERA this year, but he also brings plenty of postseason experience and durability, both of which are desperately needed by the Cubs.

CBS Sports gave Chicago an A for the trade, writing:

“A pitcher with multiple years of control would have been ideal, but those guys are difficult to acquire, plus there’s still time for Chicago to add one. For now, the Cubs brought in a high-quality veteran, one who takes the ball every fifth day without incident and gives his team a chance to win more often than not. There’s a lot of value in that reliability. The Cubs certainly need it.

“Furthermore, Gausman is postseason and big-market battle-tested, two traits that will serve him well in Chicago’s demanding media environment. Gausman is no longer an ace at this point in his career, but he brings an awful lot to the table. He’s an excellent fit for a Cubs team that needs innings, both quality and quantity, and the prospect cost was reasonable. This is a clear A for me.”

Obviously, the Cubs would have loved to have gotten a pitcher with multiple seasons of club control remaining. Gausman will be a free agent at the end of the year.

But with the pitching market what it is, such arms cost multiple top prospects, and the fact is that Chicago’s farm system isn’t as good as others’.

Nabbing Gausman with the assets they have available was definitely a win.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs acquire Kevin Gausman from Blue Jays
• Cubs likely will not trade 2 coveted bats amid pitching needs
• Cubs trade Jameson Taillon to the Blue Jays

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Per multiple reports, the Cubs are acquiring starting pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays. Gausman, 35, is a 14-year veteran who has pitched for the Blue Jays, Orioles, Giants, Braves, and Reds. He sports a career 3.85 ERA, 1.2 WHIP, 3.59 FIP, 2,081 strikeouts, and 2.5 BB/9 in 2,038.1 innings. Gausman has plenty of postseason experience as well, with 14 appearances and a 3.83 ERA in October.

The Athletic’s Blue Jays beat Mitch Bannon reports that the Cubs are sending two prospects back to Toronto, including OF Brett Bateman and INF Ty Southisene. MLB.com has Southisene as the team’s #13 prospect, and Bateman at #21.

Told the return is OF Brett Bateman and INF Ty Southisene. https://t.co/OuYNkHBUum

— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) August 3, 2026

Cubs bolster their rotation with Gausman

The Cubs are getting a very durable starter in Gausman, who has made 345 starts in his career, making 30+ in eight seasons. He joins a staff that is currently without Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Ben Brown, and Edward Cabrera. The rotation will consist of him, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, David Peterson, and Cabrera when he returns. Colin Rea and/or Javier Assad can mix in at the bottom unless other moves are made.

This season has not been one of Gausman’s best, pitching to a 4.38 ERA and 1.3 WHIP in 23 starts. However, some of the peripherals will tell you he’s been a bit better than what the ERA says. His FIP is at 3.51 with an xERA (expected ERA) of 3.95 and xFIP (expected FIP) of 3.82. The command is still strong (77th percentile), and the whiff rate is better than average (63rd percentile). Gausman throws a 93-94 MPH four-seamer, splitter, and slider.

https://x.com/JesseRogersESPN/status/2084088657007292491

Overall, this seems like a solid move for the Cubs. Gausman was one of the more notable rental names available in terms of starting pitchers. He’s not Tarik Skubal (to be fair, nobody is), but he came at a fine rental price with two prospects outside their top-10.

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The Chicago Cubs are 63-48 on the season as the MLB trade deadline draws closer and closer. It is well-known around the baseball world that Chicago is desperately looking to improve their pitching depth. All year long, the Cubs have been dealt injury after injury to their pitching staff, both starters and relievers.

Unfortunately, Chicago’s farm system was not considered good enough for them to be serious contenders for two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. He, instead, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Additionally, the Cubs missed out on a more realistic target, two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta, who was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.

The Chicago Cubs will not trade Seiya Suzuki or Carson Kelly

As badly as the Cubs need pitching, though, The Athletic reports that Chicago is not willing to give up two of their most coveted hitters that were rumored to be desired by other teams: Carson Kelly and Seiya Suzuki.

Per the report:

“The supply of catchers and right-handed hitters, on the other hand, is minimal, creating the potential for interest in catcher Carson Kelly and right fielder Seiya Suzuki.

“Both, however, are highly unlikely to be dealt, said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.

“Suzuki, the Cubs’ No. 2 hitter, is probably too valuable to move. The Cubs might have envisioned a Michael Conforto-Matt Shaw platoon in right without him, but Shaw has been on the injured list since June 29 with a sprained left wrist.

“Kelly, too, is part of the Cubs’ fabric, and trading him would affect the Cubs’ pitching staff and clubhouse morale.”

It is probably a good thing that the Cubs have no intention of trading either. Both are important to the offense and, as seen above, clubhouse chemistry.

That being said, because their farm system lacks the quality of prospects of other contenders, they may not get the level of pitcher(s) that they are searching for.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs trade proposal lands them two pitchers from the Blue Jays
• Could the Cubs also be in the market for another bat at the MLB trade deadline?
• MLB insider reveals how many pitchers the Cubs want at the deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs need pitching. That, of course, was apparent even before the season began. Unfortunately, the injury bug has not spared Chicago for any stretch of time, and they have consistently had to put key arms, both starters and relievers, on the injured list.

As obvious as it was that they need to improve their depth, it was just as clear that Jameson Taillon was not going to provide them with valuable consistent performances.

Now, he is headed to the American League.

The Chicago Cubs have traded Jameson Taillon to the Toronto Blue Jays

Last week, it was decided that Taillon would be designated for assignment by the organization. On Sunday, it was reported that they traded him:

The Cubs have traded Jameson Taillon to the Blue Jays for a player to be named or cash considerations.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 2, 2026

Taillon was 2-6 with a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts for Chicago this season. In four years with the Cubs, he was 33-31 with a 4.21 ERA. His best season was 2024 when he was 12-8 with a 3.27 ERA in 28 starts.

In return for the struggling right-hander, Chicago receives cash and a player to be named later from the Blue Jays.

Based on the decision to designate him for assignment, it was clear that Taillon was not in Chicago’s plans going forward. He was given plenty of opportunities, but was unable to take advantage of them.

A free agent at the end of season, Taillon will try to salvage his value on the market by contributing to the Blue Jays as they try to get back into an American League wild card spot. They are currently 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card position.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs trade proposal lands them two pitchers from the Blue Jays
• Could the Cubs also be in the market for another bat at the MLB trade deadline?
• MLB insider reveals how many pitchers the Cubs want at the deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The MLB trade deadline is a day away, and the Chicago Cubs are seeing pitchers long coveted by fans sent to other teams. On Saturday night, two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This, of course, was bad news to the Cubs. While they never were seriously in the conversation to land Skubal, the Dodgers are a team they will likely need to defeat in the postseason if they are to advance to the World Series.

Unfortunately, Sunday brought news of a different pitcher, one viewed as a legitimate trade target, being sent elsewhere too.

The Chicago Cubs see Freddy Peralta traded to the Tampa Bay Rays

Ever since the early days of the season, when it became apparent that the New York Mets were going to be the biggest disappointment in baseball, the Cubs were named as a favorite to land two-time All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta. After all, Peralta has a history with Craig Counsell from their days with the Milwaukee Brewers. He also has plenty of postseason experience.

Unfortunately, all the hype surrounding Peralta and Chicago was for naught. He has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays:

The Rays are acquiring starting pitcher Freddy Peralta in a trade with the New York Mets, league sources tell The Athletic.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) August 2, 2026

Of course, acquiring Peralta would have been a risk for the Cubs anyway. While he had been one of the better pitchers in the National League in years past, he is having the worst season of his career in 2026. In 22 starts for the New York Mets, he was 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA.

Last year, he was 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA for the Brewers.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs trade proposal lands them two pitchers from the Blue Jays
• Could the Cubs also be in the market for another bat at the MLB trade deadline?
• MLB insider reveals how many pitchers the Cubs want at the deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are still looking for that arm (or those arms) that would fortify a pitching staff decimated by injury and help push the team through a successful postseason run.

More News: Chicago Cubs prospect named among most likely to be traded by deadline

Rumored targets Tarik Skubal and Luis Castillo are now off the market, picked up Saturday by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, respectively.

Chicago does reportedly have a backup plan if they can’t land the front-of-rotation starter they’ve been pursuing. However, first, it would appear that they have a very firm Plan B before reaching for their Plan C.

“Locked in” on Reid Detmers

More News: Chicago Cubs: Edward Cabrera’s rehab outing delivers good news and bad news

According to Matthew Trueblood of North Side Baseball, Chicago is “locked in” on Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles/Anaheim Angels.

Per Trueblood:

“Increasingly…the team is ‘locked in on Reid Detmers,’ a source said. Neither Jed Hoyer nor Carter Hawkins ever forecloses options before it’s necessary, and neither likes to negotiate from a position of weakness, so they’ll hold a firm line on the price, but they view Detmers as the best fit and the surest way to improve their roster both this season and over the next two. The sticking point, so far, is that the Angels want two of the team’s top prospects, including catcher Owen Ayers; the Cubs want to find a way to get the deal done without sending Ayers.

That’s a peculiar level of attachment to a 25-year-old who has climbed from High-A to Triple-A this season, but Chicago believes in Ayers’s ability to catch and in his bat. They think he could be their starting catcher next season, and are eager to work out an alternative structure that gets them Detmers without losing him. They would sooner trade infielder Pedro Ramírez, but the Angels prefer Ayers, a source said.”

Detmers has been tossed around by fans and media for quite a bit as a logical trade target for the Cubs. The 27-year-old southpaw has a 3-7 record with a 4.03 ERA for the last place Angels, but his FIP—which is, arguably, a truer measure of how well he’s actually pitching—is 3.35.

Maybe just as important, he’s under team control through the 2028 season, working with a very affordable contract.

Urgency and the accompanying high price

Acquiring a starter with years of team control is reportedly a primary focus before the deadline as starting pitchers Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and David Peterson are eligible for free agency at the end of this season and it’s unclear whether Cade Horton, who underwent Tommy John surgery in April, will be able to pitch at all in 2027.

The Angels, though, will make any trade for Detmers as painful as possible for the Cubs.

The Cubs are embracing Ayers as someone who could possibly make an impact on the big league squad as soon as next season. And with Carson Kelly likely to move on as a free agent, they’ll need support for Miguel Amaya behind the plate.

Could the Cubs’ reported interest in the Angels’ other ‘for sale’ team-controlled pitcher Jose Soriano be an indication that the asking price for Detmers is too steep?

As always, time will tell.

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The Chicago Cubs feel the trade deadline clock ticking and yesterday’s news struck a blow in their reported quest for a front-of-rotation starting pitcher.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Edward Cabrera’s rehab outing delivers good news and bad news

Two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers—a reported target of the Cubs’ front office—was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers for three prospects (including former Cubs prospect Zyhir Hope). Before that, the Chicago White Sox got Seattle Mariners veteran starting pitcher—and another reported Cubs deadline target—Luis Castillo.

There are still several starting pitchers on the market, as well as plenty of quality relievers, but not landing Skubal or Castillo has to be a bit of a reality check for the North Siders. Without a farm system teaming with top talent, meeting their goals by the 4 pm CT, August 3 deadline is going to be tough in a market asking top prospect capital even for rental arms.

The Cubs’ backup plan

More News: Chicago Cubs prospect named among most likely to be traded by deadline

However, according to the inside sources of North Side Baseball’s Matthew Trueblood, the Cubs do have a backup plan, even as they reportedly work to make a Reid Detmers deal with the Angels.

Spoiler Alert: It won’t make Cubs fans too happy.

Per Trueblood:

“The Cubs believe they can scoop up three or four useful pieces—a back-end starter, multiple relievers and perhaps a backup outfielder—near the buzzer if needed; they’ve done so before. That diffuse approach to roster building can be frustrating for fans, and it’s not always the right call, but this year’s Cubs cry out for that kind of blanket coverage. They’re thin in the starting rotation and even thinner in the bullpen. Detmers is the sexy option, but if the front office decides not to blink in its staredown with Anaheim, they might instead make three or four trades in quick succession, delivering the depth that is currently lacking for a team with World Series aspirations.”

It won’t be popular with fans

So, in short, their haul at this year’s deadline would be similar to the haul that they pulled in at the deadline last season.

Last year, after again reportedly pursuing a starting pitcher, Chicago ended up with pitchers Michael Soroka, Andrew Kittredge, and Taylor Rogers, along with utility man Willi Castro. Soroka got injured in his first start with the Cubs, while Rogers and Castro were wildly ineffective in their roles.

The inability to land a high-end pitcher was blamed on the exorbitant price demanded for starters by selling teams. But the fans, of course, didn’t care all that much for the reasons and/or excuses. Ultimately, it could be argued that the Cubs’ failure to advance beyond the second round of that season’s playoffs was due to the weaknesses they didn’t address at the deadline.

This year could shape up to be a similar situation, with the team’s hope being that the acquisitions actually pan out this time.

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The Chicago Cubs are 63-48 on the season as the MLB trade deadline quickly approaches. Last night, as the Cubs were wrapping up yet another win, the Los Angeles Dodgers made the move every other contending team wanted to make: acquiring two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

Chicago, of course, is in desperate need of pitching depth. This is true for their starting rotation and bullpen, as many players have found themselves on the injured list this season.

Skubal would have been the Golden Goose for Chicago, but there are still multiple arms still available the Cubs could pursue.

The Chicago Cubs could still pursue Reid Detmers and Emerson Hancock

Bleacher Report posted an article on Sunday morning that listed two trades that each contending team could make following Skubal landing in Los Angeles.

Unsurprisingly, their ideas for Chicago consisted of two pitchers.

Reid Detmers

One of the pitchers that has been linked to the Cubs for weeks has been Los Angeles Angeles starter Reid Detmers. Of this latest link, BR wrote:

“After missing out on Skubal, Detmers is probably the next-best starter the Cubs can acquire. Even if he only has a 4.03 ERA, he’s fanned 145 batters in 125.0 innings and is working on a career-low walk rate to boot.

“The other appeal with Detmers is that he’s under club control through 2028. That could make his price tag similar to Skubal’s, but the Cubs could see the two additional chances to get it right as more worth the risk.”

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs trade proposal lands them two pitchers from the Blue Jays
• Could the Cubs also be in the market for another bat at the MLB trade deadline?
• MLB insider reveals how many pitchers the Cubs want at the deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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It could be said the fact that the Chicago Cubs are looking for pitching depth ahead of the MLB trade deadline is the worst kept secret in baseball. The reason it is not called that is because it really is no secret. All season long, the Cubs have struggled with injuries to both their starting rotation and bullpen.

The good news, though, is that they are 62-48 and hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League. While they trail the lead in the NL Central by 6.5 games, the fact that they are in the thick of the playoff picture despite their plethora of pitching injuries is a testament to how good this team can be.

All they need is to get some reinforcements at the deadline.

Proposed trade would land the Chicago Cubs Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays

Over the course of the last several months, the Cubs have been linked to numerous pitchers that are expected to be moved ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Bleacher Report recently suggested a trade that would bring Toronto Blue Jays pitchers Kevin Gausman and Jeff Hoffman to Chicago:

“The Blue Jays surprise seller turn should make Kevin Gausman one of the most sought-after rental arms on the market, and while his 4.51 ERA this year doesn’t jump off the page, it’s backed by a 3.58 FIP and his usual strong strikeout rate.

“This package also allows Toronto to get Jeff Hoffman and his $12.7 million salary for 2027 off the books. He has been pitching well of late, but with Louie Varland supplanting him in the closer’s role, he is a pricey setup arm looking ahead to next year.”

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw named perfect trade bait for pitcher
• Why the Cubs are not likely to land Tarik Skubal ahead of MLB trade deadline
• 3 brutal reality checks for the Cubs ahead of the MLB trade deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are currently fourteen games above the .500 mark and four games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top NL Wild Card spot.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Edward Cabrera’s rehab outing delivers good news and bad news

But the team does have some serious holes to fill.

All of the fan and media attention has been directed towards the need to fortify a pitching staff absolutely besieged by injury this season. The strained starting rotation has rightfully garnered greater focus as it looks to overcome the loss of Cade Horton to Tommy John surgery, the recovery setback of Justin Steele, the release of veteran Jameson Taillon, and the current IL stint of Edward Cabrera.

It’s widely believed that the Cubs will be aggressive in their pursuit of a front-of-rotation starting pitcher by the August 3 MLB trade deadline. There’s also some good intel that says the team is simultaneously pursuing a back-of-bullpen closer-capable reliever.

But could Chicago also be in the market for a bat by the deadline?

Could the Cubs also acquire a bat by deadline?

More News: Chicago Cubs: 3 Brutal reality checks before the trade deadline

One name has been tossed about by at least a couple of analysts as an ideal fit to help fortify the Cubs offense ahead of a hopeful postseason run—Lane Thomas.

The Kansas City Royals’ right-handed hitting outfielder is headed to free agency in the offseason and is by no means a marquee player, but he’s been good and solid for a good amount of time and would help give the Cubs some bench and outfield versatility. As a non-star rental, he’d also come at a very affordable price.

Per Tony Andracki of Bleacher Nation:

“Thomas would be a perfect fit — a 30-year-old veteran who is a free agent at the end of the season and on a team (Royals) that is firmly out of the playoff race.

His splits this year are relatively even, but over his career, Thomas has mashed against lefties (.289 AVG, .848 OPS).

The cost to acquire him shouldn’t be exorbitant and would immediately strengthen the Cubs’ depth in both the outfield and from the right side of the plate.

The Cubs could then play the matchups with Conforto, Thomas and Shaw in the DH spot.”

A “flier-type prospect” in return

Per Paul Niemiec of North Side Baseball:

“The Royals are firmly in seller mode and will look to move anything that won’t be part of their future. The former Cardinal is on a cheap one-year deal and should not take more than a flier-type prospect to acquire. Although Thomas has played only center and right field this season, he’s been worth 3 DRS in right and has a top-tier arm. He has a .799 OPS against lefties and would fit well in the bottom half of the Cubs lineup.”

Thomas is certainly a name worth considering and he profiles as a bigger contributor right now than someone like Justin Dean or Kevin Alcantara, who may be dangled as trade bait for pitching.

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It is no secret that the Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of pitching ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline. All season long, the Cubs have suffered injury after injury to their staff. Multiple starters have landed on the injury list over the course of year, and some of them have landed there multiple times.

Additionally, Chicago’s bullpen has been ravaged by injuries. If they are to have any hope of erasing their 6.5-game deficit in the National League Central Division and/or make a deep run in the postseason, they need to fortify their beleaguered pitching staff.

The Chicago Cubs wants 3 pitchers at the MLB trade deadline

Over the course of the past several weeks, there have been many pitchers linked to the Cubs in trade rumors. With the deadline just a couple of days away, it will be very interesting to see which ones Chicago is able to grab.

Regardless of the names, MLB insiders at The Athletic have revealed that the Cubs want to add no less than three pitchers to their roster:

“Ideally, the Cubs want to add three pitchers before Monday’s deadline, according to a person briefed on their thinking – two starters and a reliever or two relievers and a starter. All that might not be possible, but the supply of both rotation and bullpen options is plentiful, creating numerous possibilities.”

As one can see from above, Chicago wants to add two starters and a reliever, or two relievers and a starter. Given the fact that they have a couple of starters nearing return from injury, they may try to add more relief arms.

That being said, very few in the Cubs starting rotation have shown they are capable of staying healthy this year. Regardless of who they get and how deep they make it in the playoffs, one can be sure that pitching will continue to be a huge emphasis going forward.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw named perfect trade bait for pitcher
• Why the Cubs are not likely to land Tarik Skubal ahead of MLB trade deadline
• 3 brutal reality checks for the Cubs ahead of the MLB trade deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are focused on pitching on two fronts.

With less than three full days to go before the August 3 MLB trade deadline, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is reportedly pursuing arms for the run to the playoffs and to give the team the best chance at postseason success.

More News: Chicago Cubs: 3 Brutal reality checks before the trade deadline

However, the team is also looking to restore some of the major league pitching assets lost over the course of the season to injury.

So far, there is more movement on the latter than the former.

On Friday, hard-throwing righty starter Edward Cabrera pitched in his first rehab assignment for the Iowa Cubs. The results were of the good news/bad news variety.

Good news/Bad news on Edward Cabrera

More News: Chicago Cubs prospect named among most likely to be traded by deadline

The good news was that he pitched his 1.2 innings without any reported aggravation of the left hamstring strain that he suffered on June 23 against the New York Mets at Citi Field while attempting to cover first base on a ground ball.

Cabrera’s velocity was also good, reportedly launching his sinker at speeds between 97.7 mph and 98.8—something which means that his arm is still healthy.

The bad news was that he didn’t get positive results on Friday against the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In the outing, he allowed 3 earned runs over 1.2 innings, walking 2 and giving up 2 hits against 3 strikeouts. Overall, he threw 43 pitches, but only 26 were strikes.

The 28-year-old is currently slated to have two more rehab outings before being considered for a return to the big league starting rotation. If all goes smoothly, a healthy Cabrera could return some time in mid-August, with the August 14-19 homestand against Cardinals and White Sox as the likely target.

An up and down season

Cabrera’s season so far has been the very definition of up-and-down. Over his first seven starts with the Cubs, he posted a 3.27 ERA and was precisely the starting rotation presence Chicago had hoped for when they traded their top prospect Owen Caissie, no. 11 prospect Cristian Hernandez, and 19-year-old talent Edgardo De Leon to get him from the Miami Marlins over the offseason.

Over the last seven starts prior to his injury, though, he struggled. Hampered by a blister and hand cramping issues, he delivered a poor 7.55 ERA during that run.

The hope is that a locked-in, healthy, and rested Cabrera can step in and solidify a Cubs rotation that desperately needs depth as the team heads towards the heat of the pennant race and then the playoffs. The promise of an effective Cabrera could also take some of the pressure from the front office to acquire two starting pitcher by the deadline for the banged up and strained rotation.

Currently, the starting five for the Cubs are Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, David Peterson, and Javier Assad.

There are some pitchers on the mend and eyed as contributors—such as Hoby Milner, who is also currently on a rehab assignment in Iowa—but those are all bullpen arms. Cabrera is the only starting pitcher pegged for a definite return by the end of the season.

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The Chicago Cubs are 62-48 on the season following their 2-0 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday night. That loss, combined with a Milwaukee Brewers win, has put the Cubs 6.5 games back of first place in the National League Central Division.

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline approaching quickly, Chicago is in desperate need of pitching reinforcements. They do have a couple of starting pitchers close to returning, so their most pressing need is more arms in the bullpen.

Unfortunately, one of their former effective out-getters that was on the market is now headed to Milwaukee.

Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Codi Heuer has been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers

According to MLB insider Mark Feinsand, former Cubs reliever Codi Heuer has been traded by the Cleveland Guardians to the Brewers as part of a four-player trade:

The Brewers have acquired Bo Naylor and Codi Heuer from the Guardians for Blake Perkins and Craig Yoho.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 1, 2026

Heuer was acquired by the Cubs midway through the 2021 season from the Chicago White Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade. In 25 games with the north side club, Heuer was 3-3 with a 3.14 ERA and two saves.

After missing the entire 2022 season because of injury, he appeared in 15 games for Triple-A Iowa in 2023, but posted a 7.82 ERA. He was then granted free agency, but did not pitch in 2024.

In 2025, Heuer spent time with the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers organizations. After being released by Detroit towards the end of the year, he signed as a free agent with the Guardians.

So far this year, Heuer is 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in eight appearances. In 26 appearances with their Triple-A club, he has a 3.46 ERA.

Milwaukee is sending Heuer to their own Triple-A affiliate in Nashville for the time being.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw named perfect trade bait for pitcher
• Why the Cubs are not likely to land Tarik Skubal ahead of MLB trade deadline
• 3 brutal reality checks for the Cubs ahead of the MLB trade deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are expected to make an aggressive move for pitching help by Monday’s trade deadline, and there will be a steep price attached for a quality starting pitcher.

The Cubs reportedly have reached out to the Detroit Tigers about Tarik Skubal, and the Tigers want three MLB players in addition to Ben Brown.

It’s unlikely Chicago would be willing to give up that for Skubal, and there are other pitchers the team can go for that would come at less of a cost.

Ben Nightengale of USA Today predicted the Cubs to trade for Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock. Chicago would have to trade Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw to make the deal happen.

More News: Chicago Cubs now considering Tarik Skubal as target ahead of trade deadline

Chicago Cubs predicted to make a trade for pitching help

More News: Chicago Cubs ranked a top-3 landing spot for All-Star closer Mason Miller

“The Chicago Cubs will acquire starting pitcher Emerson Hancock from the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Seiya Suzuki and infielder Matt Shaw,” Nightengale wrote. “The Cubs desperately need another starting pitcher, and while no one will mistake Hancock with Tarik Skubal, Hancock is the best young pitcher on the market and is under control through 2031.

“The Mariners badly need an injection on offense. Suzuki provides plenty of power – 18 homers and 60 RBIs this year – while Shaw is a nice replacement for infielder J.P. Crawford when he likely departs as a free agent.”

Hancock has an ERA of 3.26 with 102 strikeouts in 110.1 innings pitched. The 27-year-old right-hander recently gave up three earned runs in a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

Giving up Suzuki would not be ideal for Chicago. But a player of his caliber is what it will take to add a quality arm to the rotation in the hopes of making a long postseason run. Shaw is an obvious choice for trade bait.

The Cubs have enough on the roster to make the playoffs, but they won’t be a serious World Series contender without another starting pitcher, and a painful move will be required to make a trade happen.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

The post Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw perfect trade bait for pitcher appeared first on ChiCitySports.

It is no secret that the Chicago Cubs are in dire need of pitching reinforcements as the MLB trade deadline draws closer and closer. Over the past several weeks (months, even), the Cubs have been linked to numerous high-profile pitchers. Of course, this is because Chicago’s pitching staff has been decimated by injuries ever since before the season began.

As of late, the Cubs have been mentioned in trade rumors regarding two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Currently, Skubal is 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA with the Detroit Tigers and is in the final year of the club’s control over him.

The Chicago Cubs may not have the assets to acquire Tarik Skubal

Even though he has no years of club control remaining after 2026, Skubal’s status as a two-time Cy Young Award winner, as well as the strong demand for his services, make him a very expensive trade target.

While he would be the ideal acquisition for Chicago at the trade deadline, the fact of the matter is that they simply may not be able to compete with the packages offered by other teams. As ESPN’s Jeff Passan writes:

“The Cubs don’t have the prospect depth of the Dodgers, Brewers and Rays and have no intentions of dealing outfielder Josiah Hartshorn. Can a combination of multiple young bats and right-hander Jaxon Wiggins be enough to land the prize?

“Chicago is going to be creative — with Ayers on the cusp, the Cubs have talked about Carson Kelly with teams seeking a right-handed-hitting catcher, for example — because in a league with the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves and Phillies, walking into a postseason with clear weaknesses is doom waiting to happen.”

Unfortunately for the Cubs and their fans, Chicago’s farm system does not have the number of high quality prospects that other teams interested in Skubal have. The Cubs are almost certainly going to be outbid for him.

What they can do, though, is use the resources they do have to improve the current roster. At 61-47, they are one of the best teams in the National League anyway. Adding some stabilizing arms, even those not as dominant as Skubal, will help in the short term (this season).

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs receive steep trade price from Tigers for Tarik Skubal
• Cubs now considering Tarik Skubal as target ahead of MLB trade deadline
• Cubs make roster move ahead of gave versus Cardinals

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are headed towards the August 3 MLB trade deadline still in reported pursuit of pitching.

Specifically, the Cubs would like to add a front-of-rotation starter, maybe a back-of-rotation arm, and at least one closer-capable reliever. Amid a massive wave of pitching injuries, the reality is that the heft of a deadline pitching haul may make the difference between a deep playoff run and a quick exit from the postseason.

More News: Chicago Cubs prospect named among most likely to be traded by deadline

With that in the forefront of everyone’s mind, trade rumors have been everywhere and buzz regarding possible deals is all over. However, some of what’s been put out there would appear to be straight science fiction.

Here’s a look at three harsh realities facing Cubs fans as the trade deadline approaches:

Tarik Skubal is not coming to Chicago

More News: Chicago Cubs discussing Carson Kelly trade, per insider

As much as fans would like to envision a scenario where Mr. Everything Tarik Skubal becomes the ace of the Cubs rotation and leads them to a World Series, there’s almost zero chance of that actually happening. The Tigers will rightfully demand an absolute fortune in prospect capital for the last three months of the soon-to-be free agent. Even if the Cubs had that kind of prospect wealth in their system, Jed Hoyer and company would surely not spend it all on a short-term rental.

It would be awesome to be proven wrong. Chicago, given their offensive prowess and true grit, would instantly become a postseason favorite with Skubal at the top of the rotation and injured hurlers Edward Cabrera, Daniel Palencia, Ben Brown, Hoby Milner, and even Justin Steele hopefully getting healthy enough to pitch before the playoffs.

Mason Miller, forget about it

Ditto what was just said above about Skubal, but maybe three times that sentiment. If the Cubs balk at spending a fortune in prospect capital to acquire one starting pitcher, they’d double-dog balk at spending it for a closer—even one as dominant as Miller, who would be under team control through the 2029 season.

The San Diego Padres are also reportedly looking for young pitching in any return for Miller, something which the Cubs do not currently have in their system beyond Jaxon Wiggins.

Seiya Suzuki is not being traded

One of the recurring stories bopping around in the media all year has been the idea that the Cubs will trade Suzuki straight-up for the stud starting pitcher they need. Well, there are two major hurdles to that.

First, Suzuki has a full no trade clause in his contract and he’d have to approve any deal looking to place him anywhere.

Second, it would make no sense whatsoever for Chicago to trade away a key component to their offense—one of the parts of their team that is a verifiable positive—for a starting pitcher who may or may not prove to be an asset. This doesn’t make baseball sense and, more important, it doesn’t jibe with how the Cubs conduct their trade-related business.

If the Cubs were sellers, of course they’d try to trade the free agency-bound right fielder. But as buyers, swapping out a strength for a hope is not logical.

As always, time will tell how all this trade deadline stuff works out and who becomes a new Cub.

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The Chicago Cubs are still expected to be aggressive buyers before the MLB trade deadline on August 3.

With just about five days to go before that cutoff date, the breaking news regarding high-profile deals should start dropping anytime now. The Cubs, as everyone knows at this point, will be looking for big-time pitching help in the form of a top-of-rotation starting pitcher and some bullpen reinforcement.

More News: Chicago Cubs discussing Carson Kelly trade, per insider

Amid the buzz over who Chicago may target and how much they’ll be willing to sacrifice, the reality is that they will have to pay a hefty price in prospect capital for the pitching they’re looking to add.

One of the most sought-after prospects in the Cubs organization is shortstop Jefferson Rojas, who is currently rated the no. 2 prospect in the Cubs system and no. 64 in all of baseball.

MLB.com has talked up the likelihood of Chicago trading the 21-year-old by the deadline twice over the last couple of days.

Jefferson Rojas expected to be dealt

More News: Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman beats funk with assist from Dansby Swanson

Jim Callis, in a piece about the Top 100 prospects likely to be dealt at the trade deadline, ranks Rojas no. 4 on the list of young talent that will probably be moved.

Per Callis:

“Super advanced bat. He’s only 21 years old. He struggled when he got to Double-A last year, but he’s made some adjustments. He’s driving the ball in the air again. He can just really, really hit.

And he’s a third baseman, maybe a shortstop, but he’s not gonna displace Dansby Swanson. He’s not gonna displace Alex Bregman. He’s not gonna move to second base and displace Nico Hoerner. And there’s really no place for him to play. So I think when the Cubs go out and make moves, I don’t think it’s gonna be a (Tarik) Skubal, but maybe they go get a Joe Ryan, maybe they’ll go get a Reid Detmers. I could see Jefferson Rojas being part of that package.”

A day prior, in another MLB.com article, Rojas again was mentioned as the most likely Cubs prospect to be traded:

“The injury-ravaged Cubs desperately need pitching and while they probably won’t trade their top prospect (outfielder Josiah Hartshorn), they might have to part with their second-best to get some mound help. Signed for $1 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, Rojas is hitting .269/.334/.462 with 15 homers in 86 Double-A games at age 21 and has the arm strength for the left side of the infield.”

Scouts checking things out

A recent report even says that New York Mets scouts have been all over the Cubs Double-A team, the Knoxville Smokies, presumably to get a closer look at Rojas.

With no clear path to the majors anytime soon, it sure would appear that Rojas is an expendable piece in the Cubs organization and would have more immediate big league worth as a trade chip to bring in pitching.

With the clock to the deadline ticking away, the answers to all these trade-related questions will be revealed soon enough.

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The Chicago Cubs may have to get a bit creative when it comes to their pursuit of high-end starting pitching (and bullpen help) before the August 3 MLB trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman beats funk with assist from Dansby Swanson

Just looking at the standings and at how many teams remain in the hunt for playoff spots, it’s likely that there will be fewer sellers than previously anticipated. And when one considers the fact that just about every buyer is looking for pitching right now, it stands to reason that there will be some stiff competition leading up to the deadline.

Some have already speculated that the tightness of this market may make for some unusual buyer-buyer trades among playoff-contending teams.

The Cubs could very well find themselves one of those teams looking to deal from strength in one area to work on a weakness in another.

Carson Kelly being shopped?

More News: Report: Chicago Cubs farm system eyed by New York Mets scouts amid trade buzz

In a Thursday morning trade deadline preview for ESPN, veteran MLB insider Jeff Passan revealed that the Cubs have actually discussed trading catcher Carson Kelly.

Per Passan:

“The Cubs don’t have the prospect depth of the Dodgers, Brewers and Rays and have no intentions of dealing outfielder Josiah Hartshorn. Can a combination of multiple young bats and right-hander Jaxon Wiggins be enough to land the prize? Chicago is going to be creative — with Ayers on the cusp, the Cubs have talked about Carson Kelly with teams seeking a right-handed-hitting catcher, for example — because in a league with the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves and Phillies, walking into a postseason with clear weaknesses is doom waiting to happen.”

For many, that news was more than a bit confounding.

Since signing with the Cubs before the start of the 2025 season, the veteran catcher has been an anchor for the team and a low-key factor in helping to hold together a pitching staff that easily could’ve gone sideways multiple times during his run. He’s also been hitting at a clip well above what was expected of him when he signed his two-year, $11.5 million contract.

Does this make sense?

Yes, the 32-year-old Kelly will become a free agent at the end of this season and, yes, he will most likely sign on with another team for a larger and longer contract than the Cubs would be willing to offer. With Miguel Amaya being able to step up to the starting gig and prospects like Moises Ballesteros and Owen Ayers at Triple-A, Chicago is fairly secure in the catching position.

But who trades away a key veteran presence at a crucial position in the heat of a pennant race?

Trading Kelly isn’t like trading Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramirez, major league assets who have trade value, but no starting spot on the current roster. Kelly’s offensive numbers may not jump out at you this season, but he’s steady, dependable, and most important, a glue that has helped keep this team on track, especially on the pitching side of things.

He definitely has trade value in this market. There are several teams that would love to add a savvy veteran catcher with some pop at the deadline.

Ironically, if the Cubs trade him, they’d be one of those teams in need of a guy like Kelly.

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The Chicago Cubs are 61-47 and six games back of first place in the National League Central Division. With the MLB trade deadline quickly approaching, Chicago is one of the teams everyone is certain will attempt to make a substantial move to improve their current roster.

In terms of need, there is no question that the Cubs are in desperate need of starting pitching. The only real question, at this point, is whether or not Chicago will attempt to nab one of the biggest names on the market or acquire multiple less expensive targets.

Fortunately, the answer is going to be compounded with the hopeful return of a couple of their own starting pitchers.

The Chicago Cubs get positive injury updates on Justin Steele and Edward Cabrera

In a recent report that detailed how the Cubs are now in the market for two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, it was also revealed that the team has positive injury updates on Justin Steele and Edward Cabrera:

“Cabrera is scheduled to make the first of three minor-league rehab starts on Friday with Triple-A Iowa. Steele is expected to do a light bullpen session this weekend at Wrigley Field.”

Cabrera is currently on the injured list again due to a hamstring/adductor strain. In 14 starts for the Cubs this year, he is 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA. While his numbers do not suggest that he has been overly effective for Chicago this year, he has a history of turning it on down the stretch. At this point, too, the Cubs could use him in any capacity.

Steele has been out for the entire season due his recovery, and set back, from last year’s arm injury. The team has already decided that he will not be used as a starter in the event he is able to return late in the season. That being said, the bullpen is a mess and he sure would be useful as a reliever.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs receive steep trade price from Tigers for Tarik Skubal
• Cubs now considering Tarik Skubal as target ahead of MLB trade deadline
• Cubs make roster move ahead of gave versus Cardinals

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are looking for starting pitching help ahead of the trade deadline on Monday, and the Detroit Tigers have reportedly sent an offer for what it would take to acquire Tarik Skubal.

There has been chatter that the Cubs could look to trade with the Tigers for Skubal, who has a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts this season in 96.2 innings pitched. Still, most MLB insiders don’t think there is a real likelihood Chicago could pull off a trade with Detroit.

Per longtime sports journalist George Ofman, the Cubs have done their due diligence on Skubal. The Tigers are asking for a steep price. They want three major league players and a prospect like pitcher Ben Brown to give up Skubal.

“Yes, the Cubs inquired about Skubal,” Ofman posted on X. “The Tigers want 3 major league players plus a prospect which includes Ben Brown. Highly doubtful they can outbid the Dodgers and maybe two other teams.”

Chicago has every reason to want to trade for Skubal. The Cubs are 61-47, but six games back from the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League Central. Given the injuries to the rotation, the Cubs could become World Series contenders with an ace on the mound.

More News: Chicago Cubs now considering Tarik Skubal as target ahead of trade deadline

What the Chicago Cubs could give up for Tarik Skubal

More News: Chicago Cubs ranked a top-3 landing spot for All-Star closer Mason Miller

ESPN’s Jeff Passan named Skubal as the best fit for the Cubs, though he thinks they’d have to get creative to land a pitcher given their depth.

“The Cubs don’t have the prospect depth of the Dodgers, Brewers, and Rays and have no intentions of dealing outfielder Josiah Hartshorn,” Passan wrote.

“Can a combination of multiple young bats and right-hander Jaxon Wiggins be enough to land the prize? Chicago is going to be creative — with Ayers on the cusp, the Cubs have talked about Carson Kelly with teams seeking a right-handed-hitting catcher.”

In a few days, we’ll see how serious the Cubs are about competing for the World Series this fall.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The biggest storyline in Major League Baseball will be where Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal ends up. With just a few more days until Monday’s trade deadline, there have been lots of rumors surrounding Skubal. The latest suggests the Chicago Cubs could be involved now.

With Chicago needing help on the pitching side, both in the rotation and bullpen, they should have plenty of options. That includes the big fish of Skubal.

After insiders Ken Rosenthal and Jeff Passan threw some water on the fire, saying the Cubs likely won’t be after Skubal, a local reporter is suggesting the opposite.

Chicago Cubs now ‘considering’ Tarik Skubal as a trade target

As mentioned above, the thought the past few days was that the Cubs would be out on someone like Skubal due to the price. But now, the pending free agent appears to have some serious interest from the Cubs.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic wrote on the Cubs ahead of the trade deadline and mentioned how they are now considering Skubal as a target:

In a wide-ranging search for pitching reinforcements, the Chicago Cubs are considering Tarik Skubal as their blockbuster option ahead of Monday’s trade deadline, according to several baseball officials who were granted anonymity to candidly discuss a still-developing market.

It’s a high risk, high reward type of move for the Cubs if they pursue Skubal. With Matthew Boyd’s emergence, they could look to add a big arm for a good 1-2 punch for the postseason.

However, would they risk the future for a rental on Skubal? Chicago also needs help in the bullpen as evident by Wednesday’s heartbreaking loss in extra innings where they led by two runs. Fixing the bullpen might feel like the smarter option at this stage. But could they pull off both?

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The Chicago Cubs are 61-46 on the season and, frankly, it is nothing short of a miracle that they are in the position in which they find themselves. At one point during the year, they had an entire pitching staff’s worth of pitchers (13 players) on the injured list with various injuries.

Some of these, such as Cade Horton, are out of the year while others have been on and off the injured list with differing ailments.

Manager Craig Counsell is not perfect, but the way he has been able to manage this banged up pitching staff is undeniably impressive. That being said, it is apparently obvious that they are running out of options.

The Chicago Cubs have recalled Jake Woodford

Over the course of the season, Chicago has been forced to utilize a variety of journeymen in an effort to keep their pitching staff both rested and, well, staffed. Among these was Jake Woodford, who was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this year.

In his first stint with the Cubs, Woodford had a 13.50 ERA after giving up three runs in his only appearance. He was shortly after designated for assignment by Chicago, but went unclaimed and sent to Triple-A Iowa.

And now he is back:

Cubs make a roster move:

RHP Jake Woodford selected from Triple A
RHP Andrew Wantz designated for assignment

— Meghan Montemurro (@MegMontemurro) July 29, 2026

Prior to being DFA’d by the Brewers, Woodford was 1-0 with a 6.94 ERA in 16 appearances. For his MLB career, he is 11-17 with a 5.31 ERA.

As seen above, Andrew Wantz has now been designated for assignment by Chicago. He appeared in one game for the Cubs after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays. He gave up one run in two innings of work.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• AL division leader has eyes on Cubs prospects
• Cubs star Alex Bregman snapped out of funk with help from Dansby Swanson
• Cubs’ farm system eyed by New York Mets amid trade buzz

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are, as of this writing, 61-46 on the season, which is one of the best records in Major League Baseball, let alone the National League. However, they still currently sit 5.5 games out of first place in the NL Central Division.

That being said, the fact that they are right in the thick of the playoff picture is nothing short of astounding. While they have had two separate 10-game winning streaks this year, they also have had a 10-game losing streak. Additionally, they went an entire month without winning a single series.

There were many reasons for their struggles, not the least of which was the plethora of injuries suffered by their pitching staff.

The Chicago Cubs could acquire Mason Miller at the MLB trade deadline

As the MLB trade deadline approaches, one of the most high-profile names in rumors is that of two-time All-Star closer Mason Miller. However, there is no certainty that the San Diego Padres will even be willing to move their closer right now.

That being said, in the event that they do make Miller available, Fox Sports has named the Cubs as one of the top-three destinations for him:

“Chicago’s bullpen is tied for 22nd in opponent batting average (.247), tied for 14th in WHIP (1.31) and 14th outright in ERA (3.97). Moreover, they’ve collectively blown 17 saves, Jacob Webb leads their staff with just five saves and the Cubs have had 12 different pitchers record a save.

“Plug Miller in the closer role for the Cubs, and the likes of Webb, Daniel Palencia and Trent Thornton, who are all having successful 2026 campaigns, serve as the bridge to the ninth inning.”

Miller is currently 27 for 27 in save opportunities and has a sparkling 0.81 ERA. Clearly, adding him to the bullpen would suddenly make the Cubs relievers among the best in baseball.

The problem, though, is that Miller has three more years of club control after 2026. While this makes him an even more ideal trade target for Chicago, it also makes him more expensive. The Cubs would have to give up a haul of their top prospects in order to get him.

But given the fact that Chicago is just a few strong arms away from competing for World Series, it might be worth it.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• AL division leader has eyes on Cubs prospects
• Cubs star Alex Bregman snapped out of funk with help from Dansby Swanson
• Cubs’ farm system eyed by New York Mets amid trade buzz

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are expected to be active as the MLB Trade Deadline quickly approaches. With just under five days until the deadline, so far it’s been pretty quiet overall.

It’s clear that the Cubs are going to target pitching help both in the rotation and bullpen as that has been their biggest need for weeks now. If they want to catch the Milwaukee Brewers, the pitching is going to have to be better.

While Chicago reportedly won’t be involved in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, they could be drawing some interest from another American League team who is actually leading their own division. And the latest report suggests just that.

Are Texas Rangers targeting Chicago Cubs as a trade partner?

The Cubs are clearly buyers at the MLB Trade Deadline as they look for an October push. However, a team that is showing interest in the Cubs farm system and big league roster is the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers are in first place in the AL West, holding a 2.5 game lead on the Houston Astros. They are expected to be buyers too. But Pat Ragazzo of Athlon Sports wrote on how Texas has had scouts at Cubs minor and major league games:

Among the teams that the Rangers have had scouts on include the following organizations (both MLB teams and minor league systems): Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves.

These teams are all buyers, but could trade from their major league rosters, too. They also have young, controllable pieces that could be moved.

The Rangers probably aren’t going all in terms of being a buyer. But they could be looking for some controllable pieces that they can use for the future. That would help them move on from a player or two.

As Buster Olney reported on Wednesday, the Rangers might have to get creative.

Rival officials report that Texas isn’t in a position to take on money at the deadline, but the Rangers need relief depth as they try to defend their position at the top of the AL West. They’ll look for ways to be creative in trades.

Does Texas have the pitching help that the Cubs need? It’s hard picturing the Rangers moving on from any of their top pitchers at the moment. But stranger things have happened at the trade deadline..

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For many, the Chicago Cubs’ signing of three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman provided definitive proof that the team was actually “all in” when it came to winning in 2026.

More News: Report: Chicago Cubs farm system eyed by New York Mets scouts amid trade buzz

After making a small, too-conservative pass at signing the veteran prior to the 2025 season, Jed Hoyer and the front office doubled back to land the two-time World Series champ with a 5-year, $175 million contract.

Although starting his Cubs tenure at 32 years of age, the team gambled that Bregman’s physical decline in the back end of the contract would be offset by the leadership and other intangibles he would bring to the table.

Up until very, very recently, there was doubt as to whether the Cubs made the right decision this offseason.

Bregman came into Monday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals batting .234 with a .682 OPS, 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. And while is defense has been solid and his leadership has proven valuable, the lagging bat was forefront in concerns over his Cubs run.

Bregman borrows from Swanson

More News: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox bidding war for trade deadline pitcher?

In the midst of his offensive funk, though, the meticulously analytical Bregman decided to try something new—Dansby Swanson’s larger and heavier Marucci JD20 model bat.

That first day, he went 4-for-5 with a home run and 2 RBIs. The next day, he went 3-for-5.

Meghan Montemurro, Cubs beat writer for the Chicago Tribune talked about Bregman’s switch-up and the additional adjustments he made while using the bigger Swanson-model bat:

“In addition to using Swanson’s bat, Bregman choked up on the handle and put his hands further back in his stance, ‘like way further back,’ he explained. Bregman tried to get his bat plane a little bit more behind him, which he admitted was a weird thought. Ultimately, the goal was to stay back more, tweaks that initially started over the weekend in Pittsburgh.

‘Not being super direct and short to the ball, kind of getting on plane deeper and hopefully the heavy bat and also my hands being further back kind of holds me back more,’ Bregman said. ‘I’d kind of been flying forward and cutting the corner and cutting everything. That’s why I’m popping up a lot and missing pitches in the middle. So (Monday) was a better step in the right direction.

‘It probably doesn’t look like anything was really different to somebody who doesn’t watch my swing like 10,000 times, but for me it looks like a completely different swing. But at the end of the day, baseball’s crazy. Sometimes you need one swing to kind of get you going.’”

“Guaranteed four hits tonight”

When learning of Bregman’s decision to use his bat, Swanson, who’s loaned out his bat to teammates before, showcased a bit of good-natured clairvoyance.

“It was funny when I found out that he was going to do it,” Swanson told Montemurro. “I was like, dude, it’s guaranteed he’s getting four hits tonight.”

Of course, two games is hardly any sample size at all. It’s also fun and easy to point to one singular moment or affect as the catalyst for a turnaround at the plate. The less entertaining truth is that Bregman has been grinding all year to turn around his flat offensive performance and recently seems to have locked on to something. Since July 19, he’s hitting .343 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs.

Whatever the cause of the turnaround, though, the Cubs are hoping it continues.

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The Chicago Cubs have an urgent need for pitching ahead of the August 3 MLB trade deadline. The New York Mets have an urgent need to dump salary and fortify their farm system after a disastrous 2026 season.

More News: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox bidding war for trade deadline pitcher?

So, it would seem like a Cubs-Mets hookup in the six days or so before the coming deadline would be a reasonable possibility. After all, the teams already came together for a trade on June 25 when the Mets swapped lefty pitcher David Peterson to the Cubs for prospect Cole Mathis.

Mets eyeing Cubs farm system?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Almost no prospect is off-limits in pursuit of pitching, per MLB insider

Pat Ragazzo of Athlon Sports has added fuel to the speculative fire with his report on Tuesday that the Mets are actively combing through the Cubs’ Double-A ranks:

“Heard the Mets have had scouts on the Cubs’ minor league system, specifically in Double-A

NYM have pitching that fits the Cubs: Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban”

Now, of course, all teams have scouts just about everywhere, all the time. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a seller with pitching to swap is spending extra time eyeing a buyer in desperate need of pitching.

But in the particular case of the Cubs and Mets, the pairing is so logical that it almost seems like a foregone conclusion that some sort of trade will be made. It should also be noted that the Cubs’ no. 2 prospect shortstop Jefferson Rojas is at the Double-A level.

Cubs’ possible targets

Among Mets starting pitching, Clay Holmes is the most logical Cubs target. Although he’s still going through his minor league rehab assignment from a fractured right fibula suffered on May 15, the groundball specialist fits right into the Cubs’ strengths on defense. Provided he’s healthy and ready to go, he’d be the ideal pickup.

With a $12 million player’s option next season, most would probably consider Holmes a rental. But given the labor dispute uncertainties facing 2027, the 33-year-old could opt to take the guaranteed money, stay with the Cubs, and hope to land a bigger contract in 2028.

The other big name in the Mets rotation is Freddy Peralta. He’s having a down year, but he’s still a pitcher with a significant history of success behind him, plus a certain comfort level in working with former Brewers manager Craig Counsell.

In the bullpen, New York has a virtual treasure trove of Cubs-friendly assets. Closer-capable Luke Weaver would be the biggest pickup for Chicago, especially considering that he’s under team control through next season. However, names like A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, and Huascar Brazoban could be very valuable acquisitions as well. The Mets would also probably do back flips of joy if the Cubs would take Devin Williams—and his $51 million contract—off their hands, although that’s not very likely.

As things stand for the Cubs right now, the team needs at least one front-of-rotation starter and a closer-capable reliever to make a serious run at postseason success. In a perfect trade deadline world, they’d add even more because, as the team has definitely learned this injury-plagued season, you can never have enough pitching.

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The Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of pitching ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline this weekend. They could use some upgrades in both the starting rotation and bullpen due to their injury situation.

As the Cubs sit in a wild card spot currently, they can still make a push for the NL Central but it could be tough to catch the Milwaukee Brewers. Either way, Chicago needs to make some moves to help their pitching situation in the postseason.

But is ace Tarik Skubal an option?

Many have linked the Cubs to Skubal just for the fact that they need pitching. However, a few reports this week now suggest otherwise.

Ken Rosenthal, Jeff Passon deliver bad news for Chicago Cubs

Tarik Skubal should be the prize at the MLB trade deadline with the Detroit Tigers likely hearing offers for him. Skubal has just these last few months of team control and will hit the open free agent market this offseason. He’s expected to generate a large contract of $350 million-plus in free agency. While the Cubs have some top prospects they could part ways with, does it make sense?

Ken Rosenthal noted the teams that are expected to inquire about Skubal and he didn’t include the Cubs:

The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the clubs expected to inquire on Skubal, the reigning AL back-to-back Cy Young winner.

The Tigers are now seven games under .500, six games out in the AL Central and four games back in the AL wild-card race, with four teams ahead of them. Some clubs believe they might be willing to trade Skubal regardless of their position in the standings, as long as their asking price is met.

This isn’t the first time Milwaukee has been connected to Skubal, either. That could put pressure on the Cubs to make a move and land a pitcher elsewhere at the deadline.

On Monday, MLB insider Jeff Passan echoed something similar regarding Skubal and Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan:

I think they know they’d have to gut their system for either Skubal or Ryan, and I don’t think that’s something they’re willing to do. Maybe if Matt Shaw is part of such a package, they could swing it, but if they’re holding Josiah Hartshorn, it’s going to take more. The important question here that we don’t know the answer to is whether the Tigers and Twins are seeking a smaller package with better-regarded prospects or whether they want to go pure volume.

It’s going to cost a lot to acquire someone like Skubal and at this point, it would be surprising if the Cubs were in on him.

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The Chicago Cubs are feeling the pressure with less than a full week to go before the August 3 MLB trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Almost no prospect is off-limits in pursuit of pitching, per MLB insider

Per every media report (and just plain common sense), pitching will be their primary focus in the days leading up to the deadline. Smashed with an unprecedented wave of pitching injuries this season, the team finds itself short four starting pitchers, their closer, and a handful of bullpen arms. Otherwise a very good team with true playoff potential, their success in the postseason will hinge on how much pitching they can bring with them to the end of the regular season.

The Chicago White Sox, meanwhile, are the surprises of 2026, currently atop the AL Central Division, two games ahead of the second place Cleveland Guardians. They are also in pursuit of starting pitching by the deadline.

Crosstown trade deadline bidding war?

More News: Chicago Cubs stars insist the trade deadline is no big deal

According to a recent report, both teams currently have their eyes on one young arm in particular.

Per Russell Dorsey of Yahoo! Sports:

“Ahead of the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, there could be a battle in the Windy City for starting pitching. Multiple sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox have each shown interest in Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.”

Detmers is a name Cubs fans have seen mentioned many times before as a logical trade target for the team. The 27-year-old lefty has a 3-7 record with a 4.05 ERA for the cellar-dwelling Angels, but his FIP—which is, arguably, a truer measure of how well he’s actually pitching—is 3.27.

Maybe just as important, he’s under team control through the 2028, working with a very affordable contract.

Theoretically, the Cubs might have more urgency in pursuing a pitcher like Detmers, as they are in “win now” mode and staring down the loss of free agent pitchers Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga over the offseason.

The White Sox, still in rebuild mode despite their showing this season, are ahead of the curve and have already “won” 2026. Of course, they’d like to make the playoffs and do well there, but they’re not under the same pressure as the Cubs with their big payroll and veterans headed towards free agency.

Staring down a tough market

As for the Angels, though, there’s no certainty when it comes to their seller status and just how much they might be actually selling at the deadline.

Also, per Dorsey:

“The team is just a few weeks into the tenure of interim general manager John Mozeliak, following the firing of Perry Minasian. The belief around the industry is that the Angels will ultimately be sellers, but the extent to which they’ll sell is still unclear.”

From the way things seem to be shaping up, it looks like this trade market ahead of the deadline will be a tight one and a tough one. Expect almost every seller to demand an overpay for quality starting pitching.

The team that lands Detmers will have to give up more than might feel comfortable—and it’s no guarantee that the Cubs or the White Sox would be willing to pay that price.

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The Chicago Cubs are making things difficult for Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

If the team had just totally bottomed out under the weight of a crushing, unprecedented run of high-profile pitching injuries, things would be much simpler heading into the August 3 trade deadline. There wouldn’t be the pressure to swing some trades to bring in pitching reinforcement. Top prospects could be left in place, possibly for packaging in a deal offseason when the competition eases down and asking prices deflate a bit.

More News: Chicago Cubs stars insist the trade deadline is no big deal

But, as things are right now, anything less than a major haul by the deadline will produce a lynch mob asking for the heads of Hoyer and the owning Ricketts family.

Chicago is well behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central Division, but they are fourteen games above .500 and firmly in the top NL Wild Card spot. Whether they make any waves in the offseason would seem to be entirely dependent on their ability to bring in some sort of top notch pitching by the deadline.

So, the pressure is on.

Nobody is off-limits?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Unexpected comebacks lead good-news bullpen updates

Jeff Passan of ESPN, in a Monday morning Q&A on Threads, put it out there that Chicago is pretty much taking nobody off the table when it comes to possible deals at the deadline, which is now less than one full week away.

Per Passan:

“They’re willing to deal off of their major league and minor league rosters. While I think Josiah Hartshorn is off-limits, a majority of their prospects will be available, whether that’s Wiggins, Ramirez, Rojas, Kepley, Ayers, etc. The Cubs are going to get at least one starting arm — and, good for them, it’s the most bountiful position on the market.”

With some key veterans eligible for free agency at the end of this season—like Matthew Boyd, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Shota Imanaga, and Carson Kelly—the feeling may be that they have to hold open the window of opportunity for winning big this year. Next year, despite having most key ingredients set to return, there will be much more uncertainty.

Pitching is the only focus

And there’s also no denying just what, exactly, the Cubs need to make a serious playoff push.

The team currently has four starting pitchers on the shelf (Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera), with only Cabrera semi-confidently slated to return to the rotation. They also have their closer (Daniel Palencia) on the IL, along with bullpen assets Hoby Milner, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, and Riley Martin, among others, out of commission.

By mid-August the hope is that Cabrera, Milner, and Palencia, at the very least, will be back. But more is needed, especially when it comes to the rotation.

Monday’s release of veteran Jameson Taillon is being seen by many as a roster-management prelude to trade deadline acquisitions and the trickle of returning injured pitchers.

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The Chicago Cubs have some work to do if they want to catch the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. Even with the series win in Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Cubs sit seven games back going into Monday’s series opener in St. Louis.

While the Cubs are in a good spot in the Wild Card race, the overall goal is to reach the World Series. They will have to take down some top teams and someone will have to dethrone the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chicago’s pitching staff has been hit hard with injuries in the starting rotation as well the bullpen. They have suffered some tough injuries, which leads many to believe they will target pitching.

What MLB writer believes Chicago Cubs’ biggest needs are at trade deadline

Ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline, Jesse Rogers of ESPN wrote on what each team in the NL needs to do to beat the Dodgers. For the Cubs, it was acquire pitching but he also mentions controllable pitching.

Injuries have taken a toll on Chicago, but the walking wounded have begun to return. That doesn’t mean the Cubs have enough six-to-seven-inning, playoff-caliber starters in the rotation, so piecing together enough pitching for four rounds of the postseason — including a series against the Dodgers — will be extremely hard for them as constituted. With just a 7% chance of getting a bye in the first round, according to FanGraphs, a really good 2026 Cubs team needs more.

The Cubs also have some expiring contracts on the mound, so trading for a controllable pitcher works for their future as well as their present. Los Angeles Angels starter Reid Detmers would fit that need. As usual, prices are currently high for those pitchers, according to league sources, but Chicago has some infield depth at the major and minor league level to trade from. That surplus is their strength, so don’t expect the Cubs to offload much, if any, from their major league team. They want what most teams want — a chance to take down the Dodgers this season and stay competitive for years to come.

Chicago’s bullpen is more banged up than its rotation. But, similar to those returning starters, the team is expecting lefty Hoby Milner (appendicitis) and closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) back in August. Palencia, in particular, is no sure thing in terms of health, so another reliever or two should be on the docket for the Cubs as well. The good news is that their position player group is one of the best in the league and can compete with the Dodgers in the field and at the plate. No need for improvements there.

The Cubs farm system isn’t as loaded as it once was, but they have depth to move guys. It’s possible Chicago could move more than a few guys in order to go for it this year and challenge the Dodgers or Brewers.

But it’s clear that they really need to find a way to improve the rotation and bullpen this weekend.

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The Chicago Cubs are 59-46 on the season as they begin a crucial rivalry series against the St. Louis Cardinals. As they sit seven games out of first place in the National League Central Division, Chicago has some ground to make up. However, since they also have a comfortable Wild Card lead, there is some comfort in the fact that they are likely to make the postseason.

But whether or not they are able to make a deep run in the playoffs will depend on their starting pitching. Unfortunately, they have seen their pitching staff decimated by injuries all season long. And while they have been open to giving players several chances to contribute, they are not willing to put up with continued inconsistency.

The Chicago Cubs have designated James Taillon for assignment

One of Chicago’s most inconsistent pitchers this year has been right-hander Jameson Taillon. After his last start saw him give up seven earned runs in four innings, Craig Counsell would not commit to him making his next one.

Now, Taillon has been designated for assignment:

The Chicago Cubs designated Jameson Taillon for assignment.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) July 27, 2026

As he is scheduled to make $8 million for the rest of the year, it is not likely that any other teams will want to trade for him. Taillon will likely clear waivers. At that point, the Cubs will either send him to Triple-A Iowa or release him.

In 15 starts this season, Taillon is 2-6 with a 5.92 ERA. He also leads the National League with 25 home runs given up.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that I’m hurting the team and have been for a little while now,” Taillon said after his last start. “So I’m not naive to that at all.”

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs stars insist the trade deadline is no big deal
• Cubs to get some unexpected bullpen pitchers back from injury
• As trade deadline nears, Jed Hoyer faces harsh reality

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The main topic of conversation right now when it comes to the Chicago Cubs is the trade deadline.

Specifically, the talk is all about how the Cubs can improve their pitching staff, which has been besieged with injury almost from day one of the season.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Unexpected comebacks lead good-news bullpen updates

It’s, really, kind of an unavoidable storyline. Losing the arms they have in both the rotation and the bullpen in such an unprecedented mass wave of injury is a big deal. Still being thirteen games above .500 and atop the NL Wild Card standings despite these injuries is borderline miraculous.

And then there’s the baseball common sense reality that teams with patchwork pitching staffs, like the one the Cubs are fielding right now, tend to not go very far in the postseason.

So, yeah, logic would dictate that the Cubs need to pick up a decent pitching haul prior to the August 3 MLB trade deadline. The headlines and fan banter will reflect this in the last week before that deadline.

Just don’t tell the Cubs themselves that they’re staring down a do-or-die urgency on August 3.

Good enough already?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Good news on Daniel Palencia and the bullpen in general

“The players that we have in this clubhouse right now,” pitcher Matthew Boyd recently told reporters, “we believe are good enough to win the World Series. It doesn’t really matter what everybody else says. We’re good enough to win the division. We plan to. If the front office adds, it’ll be welcome because that means we’re going to get better…

[But] if nothing did happen, we believe that the jerseys that are in here, and the jerseys that will be added from the injured list, are good enough to go where we want to go.”

Boyd’s recent performances have certainly bolstered the internal confidence that all the Cubs need is the Cubs already on the roster. Since coming back from surgery to repair a damaged meniscus on June 25, the veteran lefty is 4-0 with 2.31 ERA in six starts.

PCA chimes in

Burgeoning superstar center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong would be another reason the team could feel confident “as is.” The 24-year-old, amid a year that is starting to scream “MVP,” is echoing Boyd’s confidence in the team sans deadline pickup, although, like Boyd, he’d welcome any addition that makes the team even better.

“If we go get pieces, that’s only going to help us,” Crow-Armstrong told media. “The way that we’re playing, and what we’re capable of in this current clubhouse, there’s a lot of big things that we can achieve with this group.

“Whatever the front office does, I assume it will probably just help our cause. I’m excited to welcome anybody that finds themselves in a Cub uniform. But for now, and until the deadline, I love what we got. And I love what we’re doing.”

Despite the self-confidence, the truth is that this team does need some significant pitching help and that a deep run in the playoffs is unlikely without it.

But with the trade market much tighter than expected and only limited prospect capital at their disposal, the Cubs just may need to settle for a lesser deadline haul and a greater push from their confident stars.

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The Chicago Cubs have certainly taken it on the chin this season when it comes to their pitching.

Decimated by injury, the team is currently without four expected starters (Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, Justin Steele), their closer (Daniel Palencia), and several key bullpen pieces (Hoby Milner, Phil Maton, Riley Martin, and Hunter Harvey).

More News: Chicago Cubs trade proposal showcases the tough decisions facing the team

They’ve also had to work around Matthew Boyd’s two stints on the IL and the IL stint of Jameson Taillon, who’s just had a miserable season in general.

But now, there may be a ripple of good news reaching their shores.

Along with the recent update of Milner’s impending return and Palencia’s timetable for coming back, the Cubs have issued two more updates involving injured relievers—both are pleasant surprises.

Hunter Harvey to begin rehab assignment

More News: Chicago Cubs prospects post cryptic messages ahead of trade deadline

Hunter Harvey, who has officially been on the shelf with a stress reaction near the right triceps/shoulder since April 12, was thought to be done for the season after suffering a significant setback in his recovery and then being transferred to the 60-day IL.

Now, out of the blue, it’s being reported that the oft-injured veteran reliever has resumed a throwing program in Arizona and is expected to begin a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, with an eye on a mid-August major league return.

Harvey was signed to a one-year, $6 million contract by Chicago this past offseason in a huge gamble on the hard-throwing righty’s delicate physical well-being. When healthy, Harvey has elite velocity and true closer stuff. Unfortunately, he’s rarely healthy.

Since being the Baltimore Orioles’ first round draft pick in 2013, Harvey has been hobbled by injury in every single season of his professional baseball career. Over the course of 14 seasons of minor league and major league ball, he’s pitched an average of less than 35 innings per year. As a major-leaguer, he’s averaged just about 26 innings per season. In 2025, an assortment of injuries led to him pitching only 10.2 innings for the Kansas City Royals.

This season, he’s only logged 4 innings over 4 appearances, posting a 6.75 ERA.

All told, the 31-year-old has had several elbow issues (including Tommy John surgery in 2016), shoulder issues, leg injuries, an oblique strain, and a sports hernia to go along with this season’s problems.

Having him back in time for the postseason, though, gives the Cubs a nice wild card option that could be an insurance policy for Palencia, who’s been on the IL twice this season already. At the very least, Harvey could be a plus rather than a minus when it comes to possible depth options.

Shelby Miller ahead of schedule

The other bit of positive bullpen news comes with the name Shelby Miller attached.

The Cubs signed the 35-year-old Miller to a two-year, $2.5 million contract in the offseason with the full understanding that 2026 may be entirely spent rehabbing from last October’s Tommy John surgery.

Now, however, there have been multiple reports that the veteran may see some pitching time with the Cubs this season after all.

According to the latest update, Miller has resumed a throwing program in Arizona and actually pitched a bullpen session on July 25. He could possibly contribute to the major league team at some point in September.

By the way, Riley Martin and even Justin Steele are expected to be bullpen contributors before the end of the season as well.

Hopefully, the Cubs won’t hold off on acquiring relievers by the August 3 trade deadline because of the bullpen help that could be coming their way internally. But it is good to know that at least some degree of depth is coming their way after a rough season of subtractions.

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The MLB trade deadline is on August 3rd at 6 pm EST. The Chicago Cubs find themselves in a very tough spot. Many Cubs fans still remember how President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer did not go all-in during last year’s trade deadline. How can anyone forget Hoyer acquired lower-cost depth pieces. These included reliever Andrew Kittredge, starter Michael Soroka, lefty reliever Taylor Rogers, and utility man Willi Castro. Players felt the front office’s caution. As a result, the team’s momentum stalled.

As the Cubs are in the Wild Card race again this season, their needs are obvious: pitching, pitching, and more pitching. However, the market has changed dramatically in recent weeks.

The Boston Red Sox recently ripped off 15 straight wins, tying the franchise record. They have vaulted themselves into playoff contention. Starter Sonny Gray? Off the table. Closer Aroldis Chapman, a former Cub who won the World Series with them in 2016? Off the table. Boston does not look like a seller anymore.

That alone shrinks the pitching market. But the Cubs’ challenge doesn’t end there.

Across town, the Chicago White Sox — improbably leading the AL Central — also need pitching as the Cubs do. If both Chicago teams are bidding on the same pitchers, the Cubs are not in a favorable position. While they have indicated they are not going to deal their top 10 prospects, their system still has more high-end talent and still can offer better prospect packages than the Cubs.

What if the Cubs were outbid for the same pitcher the White Sox were after? That will not sit well with many Cubs fans.

After another poor outing by Jamison Taillon against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, manager Craig Counsell has indicated his spot in the rotation might be in serious jeopardy. Counsell may have finally run out of patience with Taillon. Notably, Javier Assad, who pitched three shutout innings on Saturday to earn his first career save, could replace Taillon in the rotation. But outside reinforcements are still needed.

If he lands impact pitching, he can galvanize the Cubs in their hopes of making a deep playoff run. If he settles for marginal moves again while waiting for pitchers who are on the IL to return, the Cubs are risking another early playoff exit as well as destroying the morale inside the clubhouse again.

Every executive has a moment where his reputation and philosophy are being put to the test. For Jed Hoyer, judgment day is on August 3rd. With a potential lockout looming next season, and so many veteran players expected to become free agents after this season, the stakes are very high.

With fans’ patience running thin and the deadline coming fast, Hoyer can cement both his reputation and legacy in the upcoming trade deadline.

The post As the trade deadline nears Jed Hoyer faces new harsh reality appeared first on ChiCitySports.

It was another rough go for Cubs starter Jameson Taillon on Sunday afternoon. After surrendering seven runs in four innings against the Pirates (including three homers), his season stats sit at a 5.92 ERA, 6.74 FIP, 2.96 HR/9, and 25 homers given up in 76 innings pitched. He’s at the very bottom among pitchers in WAR.

After Sunday’s game, manager Craig Counsell said there would be some deliberation on whether Taillon makes his next start. This is all coming a week before the deadline, with some reinforcements potentially coming to the Cubs pitching staff soon.

Craig Counsell would NOT commit to Jameson Taillon making his next start

Said they need to discuss what’s best for the staff moving forward

— CHGO Cubs (@CHGO_Cubs) July 26, 2026

Jameson Taillon probably shouldn’t start again

Right now, it’s DFA territory in terms of performance. It is hard with such a thin staff, and Taillon is a valued teammate in that clubhouse and is making $18 million. At this point, however, it’s even more difficult to justify giving him the ball every five days. Regardless of whether he’s on the roster or not.

It’s one thing to be not great but hold it together enough to keep the team in a game, like Colin Rea. Taillon at this point is non-competitive. When he was effective from 2024 through 2025 (3.45 ERA, 1.1 WHIP in 295 innings), he would surrender a solo shot or two, but still give length and plenty of quality starts. Now it’s digging 4+ run holes early with balls flying over the fence at an insane pace.

Right now, Javier Assad is the swing man and is more trustworthy. He might not be Cy Young, and he’s had his own clunkers, but he’s been more competitive. Aaron Civale is also a less-exciting option. Then if the Cubs add a starter or two, it gives Counsell more to work with. Either way, it cannot go on with Taillon. He is a hardworking, well-respected guy who gave the Cubs some good value over the last two seasons, but now there’s no value.

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The Chicago Cubs have been run through the wringer when it comes to their pitching staff, with both the starting rotation and bullpen besieged by injury.

More News: Chicago Cubs trade proposal showcases the tough decisions facing the team

The rotation issues tend to get the most attention. Cade Horton was lost for the season in just his second start. Justin Steele suffered a setback in his recovery from 2025 elbow surgery. Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera currently sit on the IL with question marks surrounding their potential comeback dates. Matthew Boyd has had two stints on the IL this season and Jameson Taillon was also on the shelf for about six weeks.

In the bullpen, closer Daniel Palencia is currently deep into his second IL stint, on the repair alongside Hoby Milner, Phil Maton, and Hunter Harvey, among others.

It’s been rough.

Good news on Daniel Palencia

More News: Chicago Cubs prospects post cryptic messages ahead of trade deadline

But there was some good news to share on Sunday, specifically when it comes to Palencia.

Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Cubs beat writer for the Chicago Tribune, posted manager Craig Counsell’s update on the hard-throwing righty, who’s been sidelined since mid-June:

“Daniel Palencia (flexor strain) had a great bullpen Saturday, Counsell said, and will progress to an up-down bullpen Tuesday then a live BP.

It puts Palencia on track to begin a rehab assignment the week of Aug. 3.”

Once you factor in the rehab appearances, that essentially gives the Cubs less than two weeks before their closer might be able to take the mound again.

Reinforcements on the way

By then, the Cubs should have the lefty Milner back from his emergency appendectomy and, possibly, some help coming the team’s way via trade deadline acquisition. The team may also push Colin Rea into the bullpen if they can add the starting pitching they’d like by the deadline.

Palencia was placed on the IL June 16 with right elbow inflammation, which was later diagnosed as a minor flexor strain. Earlier in the season, he went on the IL for just over two weeks with a lat strain. On the year, he’s posted a 2.70 ERA with 3 saves over 19 appearances and 16.2 innings pitched.

As the bullpen has been stressed and strained by injury, though, some unlikely heroes have emerged to stabilize the relief corps and help keep the team winning.

Emergency fill-ins Ryan Rolison, Trent Thornton, and Tyler Ferguson have helped fill out the heart of the bullpen, with Jacob Webb moving up from middle relief to high-leverage spots. Javier Assad has also been steady and sturdy in the swingman role. Gavin Hollowell, meanwhile, has seemingly taken a huge step forward in his development as he’s currently on a 11.1 scoreless inning streak since his mid-June call-up from Triple-A.

The hope is that Palencia can come back and perform at peak 2025 form through the pennant race and into the playoffs, providing the shutdown closer the team needs.

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The Chicago Cubs, in an ideal baseball world, will be dealing with two goals in mind as they work towards the August 3 MLB trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs prospects post cryptic messages ahead of trade deadline

They need to fortify a pitching staff absolutely decimated by injury. They need at least one—and probably two—starters to head somewhat comfortably into the postseason. There should be a front-of-rotation-type and then maybe a back-of-rotation innings eater. Then, they need to add a quality reliever or two, with some closer-level ability.

They’ll also need to keep an eye on next season and beyond when it comes to their deadline acquisitions. With Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon all free agency-eligible at the end of the season—and no guarantees on Cade Horton and Justin Steele even pitching in 2027—the rotation will need filling.

Reid Detmers, yes. But how much?

More News: Chicago Cubs: PCA’s overnight transformation defies explanation

Reid Detmers of the Angels is a name Cubs fans have seen tossed about as a logical trade target for the team. The 27-year-old lefty is currently sporting a 3-7 record with a 4.05 ERA for the last place Angels, but his FIP—which is, arguably, the true measure of how he’s actually pitching—is 3.27.

He could immediately step into the middle of the Cubs rotation to provide some stability. And, just as important, maintain that role next season and the year after. Detmers is under team control through the 2028 season on what will be a very affordable contract.

But expect the Cubs to pay a hefty price for two years and three months of the young arm.

Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib recently offered up a proposed trade between the Cubs and the Angels that spotlights just how painful such a swap may be.

In his deal, he has the Cubs sending over top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins, fast-rising catching prospect Owen Ayers, and infield prospect James Triantos for Detmers.

Now, this could be considered a big overpay from the Cubs, but the point is that such a trade for a young, controllable starting pitcher will absolutely have to include some key prospects the Cubs are not entirely happy about swapping out.

Per Campbell:

“Given what the asks were at the deadline last year, it’s safe to say a trade for Detmers is going to a sting a team’s prospect capital. But, there should be reason for the Cubs to act with urgency here. Detmers would immediately help them this season, but gives the rotation clarity for next season. An important factor, considering Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon are all free agents, and Cade Horton pitching next season is far from a certainty.”

The purging of Triple-A

Realistically, though, the purging of Triple-A prospects would have to continue if the team were to go ahead with the rest of its deadline shopping list. Even Matt Shaw could still be part of a deal for pitching—with eyes set on guys like Logan Webb and Michael Wacha, who both offer quality starts and controllable years. Some of the peripheral prospects whose paths are blocked to the majors could also be moved for a rental reliever or two.

All of this begs the question, though, of how much is too much. How much of their prospect capital do the Cubs feel comfortable trading away before fears over how it would affect the big league prospect?

With a decent group of prospects currently moving through the lower levels of the system and a major league roster that is mostly set for the next several years, they could opt to sacrifice their Triple-A talents at the altar of winning now.

This last week or so before the trade deadline should be an interesting one.

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At 58-45, the Chicago Cubs have one of the best records in Major League Baseball. However, they are six games back of first place in the National League Central Division. While they do hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League, there is concern that they do not have the pitching to maintain their level of play.

Indeed, Chicago’s pitching staff has taken some serious blows this season as multiple players have been lost to injury. One could make a solid argument that the reason the Cubs are where they are now, solidly in the playoff picture, is due to All-Star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to make MLB history

Crow-Armstrong has already put himself into franchise and Major League record books this year. For example, his 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases so far this season have made him the first Cubs player since Sammy Sosa to post back-to-back 20-2o seasons.

And according to Yahoo Sports, he also has accomplished something MLB has not seen since 1979:

“Crow-Armstrong has also joined another exclusive group, becoming the first player since the 1970s to hit 22 home runs, five triples, and steal 25 bases before August (OptaSTATS). He joins Davey Lopes (1979) and Ken Williams (1922) as the only three players in MLB history to accomplish these numbers prior to August 1.”

As one can see, the last playerr with at least 22 home runs, five triples, and 25 stolen bases before August 1 was Davey Lopes all the way back in 1979. Lopes was just the second player ever to accomplish the feat, with Ken Williams being the first in 1922.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is widely believed to be in line to win the NL MVP Award again. That being said, Crow-Armstrong is sure making a compelling case for himself.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs tied to 2 NL West teams amid MLB trade deadline buzz
• Latest Brewers trade rumors could put pressure on the Cubs
• Cubs predicted to land multiple pitchers from NL disappointment at MLB trade deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are expected to be aggressive buyers ahead of the August 3 MLB trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs: PCA’s overnight transformation defies explanation

With a stressed and strained pitching staff currently manned by emergency fill-ins and castoffs from other teams due to injury, the Cubs need some real impact pitchers on the roster if they’re serious about doing anything in the postseason.

If the front office goes big at the deadline, the team could be trading away a good chunk of its prospect capital. That’s especially likely when considering that much of the young talents at the highest level of the farm system finds their major league paths blocked by established veterans.

Ballesteros and Alcantara get cryptic

More News: Chicago Cubs tied to 2 NL West teams amid trade deadline buzz

Two such talents—Moises Ballesteros and Kevin Alcantara—recently took to social media and posted cryptic messages to fans that sounded like self-motivational notes ahead of some major professional change. Many are speculating that the change in question involves an upcoming trade.

Per Alcantara, who was demoted to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday (translated from Spanish):

“Opportunities come and go, but only God knows the destiny He has in store for you.

Only He knows what is in your heart, the effort you put in every day, and how hard you strive to move forward.

Love yourself, trust in your work, and believe in your abilities and everything that strengthens your spirit. Peace of mind is an invaluable gift; no one can take it away from you unless you allow it.

The best thing in life is having the opportunity to do what you love. Never forget to tell yourself that you are a being of light, because the only person who can dim that light is you.

May God bless your path today and always.”

Per Ballesteros, who was demoted back in mid-June (also translated from Spanish):

“Seize every day’s opportunities as if it were your last; life is like a rollercoaster—just enjoy the ride, smile, and live happily.”

Self-motivation or farewell?

Of course, these posts could just as easily be simple motivational quotes. Players are prone to doing that sometimes. Alcantara, after all, was just sent down and Ballesteros doesn’t seem to be back on the way up anytime soon.

Or maybe they’ve heard something about their immediate futures ahead of the trade deadline.

The Cubs farm system is currently top-heavy with position player prospects who may currently have more value to the big league team as tradeable assets.

Alcantara got little playing time during his two major league call-ups this season, but he got enough of a look to show that he still has a ways to go before being major league-ready at the plate. Ballestros, meanwhile, has had flashes of big league hitting prowess, but just couldn’t adapt to the changes pitchers made against him.

Also on the list of young talent that could be shipped off prior to the deadline is Matt Shaw, Pedro Ramirez, Jonathon Long, James Triantos, Owen Ayers, and Jefferson Rojas.

The post Chicago Cubs prospects post cryptic messages ahead of trade deadline appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are 58-45 so far this season, six games back of first place in the National League Central Division. Following a tumultuous first few months of the year, the Cubs were able to weather the storm and have proven once again to be one of the best teams in the National League.

That being said, the year has already taken its toll on the roster. Most notably, the Cubs pitching staff, both the starting rotation and bullpen, have been ravaged by injuries. At one point, they could have fielded the 13 pitchers necessary for an MLB roster with the number of arms they had on the shelf.

The Chicago Cubs may have to trade Kevin Alcantara

Because of their dire need for pitching, Chicago has been linked to multiple pitchers as the weeks have gone by. With the MLB trade deadline quickly approaching, the rumors have only gotten hotter.

The Athletic recently published an article in which they predicted which member of each MLB organization was the most likely to be traded. In their opinion, Cubs prospect Kevin Alcantara is the most likely to be moved so that Chicago can get the pitching they so desperately need:

“Alcántara has shown power and speed in the minors, though in the big leagues the former hasn’t shown up yet and the latter hasn’t kept him from making some base-running mistakes. But he’s a plus defender in center who teams can dream on at the plate and still only 24. He’s out of options next year and isn’t guaranteed an everyday spot with the Cubs next year, so trying to maximize his value makes sense.”

In 19 games up in the Majors this season, Alcantara hit just .200/.238/.200 with three RBI. However, in 55 games with Triple-A Iowa, he is hitting .273/.367/.560 with 17 home runs and 42 RBI.

While giving up Alcantara in a trade is not ideal, the fact of the matter is that Chicago’s minor league system ranks just 24th in baseball. They simply do not have many prospects that other teams will want, but Alcantara is one that they would gladly take as part of an exchange.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs tied to 2 NL West teams amid MLB trade deadline buzz
• Latest Brewers trade rumors could put pressure on the Cubs
• Cubs predicted to land multiple pitchers from NL disappointment at MLB trade deadline

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs have a lot of noteworthy storylines defining this season so far.

The mass wave of pitching injuries is probably the biggest one. How could losing four starting pitchers, a closer, and a handful of top relievers not be the biggest and most impactful story of the year?

More News: Chicago Cubs tied to 2 NL West teams amid trade deadline buzz

But right below that one, however, could be the emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Sure, PCA had a monster first half last season and he made his first All-Star Game. But a tepid second half created some doubt as to whether he was entirely “for real.” The 23-year-old was a hack-at-everything hitter whose raw athleticism was letting him get away with making some poor swing decisions at the plate.

And he began 2026 just as he had ended 2025. Then, something clicked.

PCA’s overnight development

More News: Chicago Cubs call up top prospect amid trade deadline speculation

The young star quickly morphed from indiscriminate aggression to controlled patience, turning himself from one of the most poorly-disciplined hitters in baseball, sporting a beyond-poor 4.5% walk rate in 2025, into an elite walk-rate presence. The change was practically overnight.

Since June 17, the now 24-year-old is sporting a wild 21.3% walk rate, which places him above established elite on base guys like Nick Kurtz and Juan Soto. Prior to June 17, he had posted a characteristically poor 7.1% walk rate.

On the year, he’s hitting .285 with 22 home runs and 56 RBIs out of the leadoff spot, with 25 stolen bases. He’s also the MLB leader in WAR, now .6 points ahead of Shohei Ohtani.

The transformation has amazed everyone, even seasoned baseball minds like Cubs manager Craig Counsell.

“The rate at which [his plate discipline has] improved and how fast it’s improved, I don’t have any comparisons for it,” Counsell recently told reporters. “I don’t have any explanations for it. It’s a great athlete coming into his own as a great player. This is a young, great athlete getting more experience, and it’s that take-off that you hope you see.”

Counsell, however, did have some ideas on at least one of the changes that helped his center fielder with the quick turnaround.

“One of the things he did is he moved up on the plate,” Counsell offered. “I kind of equate that to Anthony Rizzo. Anthony Rizzo, at one point in his career, moved up on the plate, and then for most of his career, he was right on top of the plate, against left-handed pitching especially.

“It helped [Crow-Armstrong] better define the strike zone.”

No discernible weaknesses

This current disciplined version of Crow-Armstrong has no real discernible weaknesses at the plate anymore. Even a previous weak spot against left-handed pitching has apparently been sorted out. This season, his batting average is actually three points higher against lefties.

Brett Taylor of Bleacher Nation echoed the astonishment over his quick development:

“It’s just a reiteration of what we’ve been saying about PCA going back to late-April: players tend not to transform themselves THIS dramatically THIS quickly. And if even Craig Counsell doesn’t have a comparison for it, then I certainly don’t either.”

If PCA can remain fully self-actualized at the plate, while maintaining his elite defense and base-running skills, the Cubs will have something legendary on their hands.

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The Cubs rotation is going to see more rearrangements coming with the trade deadline approaching and arms returning (Jameson Taillon now and Edward Cabrera down the road) from the IL. Assuming Cabrera and/or possibly Ben Brown return, and they add at least one starter, some current starters will end up serving different roles. This potentially includes Colin Rea.

Rea, like last year, was meant to be a swing man on the staff but then had to be pulled full-time into the rotation due to injuries. In 2025, he was an unsung hero for the Cubs, while this year it’s been a mixed bag.

Last season he pitched to a very solid 3.95 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 4.31 xFIP, 1.25 WHIP, 19.2% K rate, and 6.6% BB rate in 159.1 innings. This year so far he’s posted a 4.85 ERA, 4.94 FIP, 4.67 xFIP, 1.42 WHIP, 17.5% K rate, and 8.2% BB rate in 105.2 innings pitched. Not great, though not necessarily horrific (all things considered). It still brings up the debate on what Rea’s role on the team should be post-deadline.

Should Rea be in the rotation going forward?

Rea has never been flashy and is not one to post red bubbles across his Baseball Savant page. Even last year, he was not lighting it up with whiff rates, exit velo, expected ERA, or barrels. He pitched with good command and found ways to be effective (partially due to the defense). It might not be fair to compare a fuller sample last year, but it begs the question of how much longer they can ride with Rea every five days.

One thing that stands out is that his fastball, sinker, and cutter run value have noticeably dropped from last year. The command has also dropped a bit (74th BB percentile in 2025 vs. 53 in 2026) while his homers-to-flyball ratio has also increased from 1.13 to 1.45, despite a 5.5% increase in groundball rate.

To his credit, he’s still had a handful of effective starts this year. While his numbers are not eye-popping, he has more often than not at least kept the Cubs in the game by “grinding” away. With all of that said, Rea being a swing guy is likely for him if/when the Cubs upgrade the rotation. It feels like one can walk the tightrope for so long when crunch time comes.

This is not to say Rea has no value, or even that he is behind the likes of David Peterson on the depth chart. Rea is a workhorse who has been asked to do a lot, and he can continue to serve the team witout needing to be a key cog in the rotation.

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The Chicago Cubs are inching closer to the August 3 trade deadline without having secured crucial pitching reinforcement needed for a legit playoff push.

More News: Chicago Cubs call up top prospect amid trade deadline speculation

With just about eleven days to go and a trade market that looks much tighter than previously expected, finding the much-needed pitching cavalry will prove to be a daunting task for Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

As expected, though, rumor and buzz is everywhere right now as the team looks to secure a Wild Card spot and, hopefully, push to regain first place in the NL Central Division from the Milwaukee Brewers.

One recent concentrated volley of buzz has come from veteran MLB insiders Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.

In Thursday’s column, Rosenthal and Sammon connected the Cubs to two AL West teams that are expected to be sellers at the deadline—the Seatlle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels.

Cubs-Mariners swap

More News: Chicago Cubs possible trade deadline target would be so Cubs-like

When it comes to the Mariners, they specifically mentioned right-handed starter Emerson Hancock, who is reportedly being shopped around:

“The Chicago Cubs, who already have acquired left-hander David Peterson and righty Aaron Civale while trying to patch together their rotation, seemingly would be a team interested in Hancock.

Three Cubs right-handed hitters of varying experience — right fielder Seiya Suzuki, infielder/outfielder Matt Shaw and outfielder Kevin Alcantara — could appeal to the Mariners.”

The complication for Chicago is that the Mariners will demand someone who can contribute immediately. They are just a half-game behind the Rangers in their division and two games behind the Red Sox for the third AL Wild Card spot.

Suzuki would be that immediate right-handed contributor. But, for the Cubs, would the subtraction of Suzuki’s offense be worth the pitching contributions of Hancock?

Dealing Shaw or Alcantara for Hancock, though, might be a no-brainer. The 27-year-old is having a breakthrough year in Seattle, posting a 3.16 ERA over 19 games and 105.1 innings. He’s also under team control through the 2030 season.

Cubs-Angels swap

The Angels, meanwhile, have two attractive starting pitching targets for the Cubs in Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano.

Per Rosenthal and Sammon:

“But the Cubs, canvassing the entire market for starters, potentially could line up with the Los Angeles Angels for righty Jose Soriano or lefty Reid Detmers as well.

The Angels, according to a person briefed on their pursuits, are interested in acquiring a young catcher. Owen Ayers, the Cubs’ No. 10 prospect according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, might qualify. Ayers, 25, started the season in High A and is now at Triple A.”

Making a deal with the last place Angels would be less complicated as they would take prospects in return, per the mention of Ayers above.

Both Detmers and Soriano are 27-years-old and under team control through the 2028 season. However, some degree of doubt also comes attached to both as their consistency and physical durability have come into question. Detmers is on pace to easily surpass his career high in innings pitched and Soriano has two Tommy John surgeries in his not-too-distant past (in 2020 and 2021).

The Cubs are expected to be aggressive buyers at the deadline, but they will have lots of competition while shopping for pitchers.

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The Chicago Cubs are still chasing the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central as we hit the final days of July. As it stands on July 24th, the Cubs are seven games back of the Brewers going into the Pittsburgh Pirates series.

While the Cubs have played better baseball of late, the Brewers are also playing better and have been able to keep their lead in the division. Milwaukee is doing it with an all-around effort. Their lineup has been good top to bottom but it’s the pitching that has been fantastic for the Brewers.

And there’s a chance they could get even better.

The latest rumors ahead of the early August trade deadline surround the Brewers and the chance for them to add an elite pitcher. Possibly two. That would put the pressure on the Cubs even more.

Milwaukee Brewers connected to top pitching trade targets

As one of the best teams in baseball, the Brewers are clearly buyers at this upcoming MLB Trade Deadline. But how big of targets will they pursue? On Thursday, MLB.com writer Adam McCalvy reported that the Brewers have checked in on a pair of big names — Mason Miller and Tarik Skubal.

Yes, that means Milwaukee officials have touched base with Detroit about starter Tarik Skubal, and with San Diego about closer Mason Miller. But the Tigers and Padres must first decide to trade those players, and the Brewers must decide how much to deal from their young crop of Major League starters or from MLB Pipeline’s top-ranked Minor League system.

As McCalvy notes, the Brewers have the top minor league system. That allows them to go out and pursue basically whoever they want at the deadline. Skubal probably makes the most sense since they lost Brandon Woodruff for the season. He’s also under contract only for this year so it’s the perfect short-term rental for Milwaukee.

Miller has been fantastic again this season in San Diego. He’s a Super Two player, remaining under team control through arbitration for three additional seasons before reaching free agency.

Milwaukee landing one of these pitchers would put the pressure on the Cubs. Not only should the Cubs pursue top pitchers but if Milwaukee lands one, the Cubs will really have to move quick to land someone else.

The next few weeks will get very interesting.

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The Chicago Cubs are 57-45 on the season, which is tied for the fifth-best record in all Major League Baseball. However, they are currently seven games back of first place in the National League Central Division. While they do hold the National League’s top Wild Card spot, the fact of the matter is that they are treading water.

It is true, admittedly, that Chicago has been playing excellent baseball, overall, as of late. However, as the season progresses, pitching will become more and more important. This is especially true when the postseason starts in October, and the fact of the matter is that the Cubs’ pitching staff has been decimated by injuries all year long.

The Chicago Cubs are predicted to land multiple New York Mets pitchers at the MLB trade deadline

There have been many rumors over the last several months linking the Cubs to New York Mets ace Freddy Peralta. They have also been linked to Clay Holmes and various Mets relievers.

CBS Sports thinks that Chicago could get more than one of them from the struggling Mets:

“Earlier this month, the Cubs had a full 13-man pitching staff on the injured list. They expect to get some of those guys back soon-ish, but not all of them, so pitching reinforcements are a must at the deadline. The ready-to-sell Mets could own the pitching market thanks to their rental starters (Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta), rental relievers (A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley), and controllable relievers (Huascar Brazoban, Luke Weaver). The Cubs and Mets are a trade partner match made in deadline heaven.”

The only issue facing Chicago and acquiring any high-profile talent is that the Cubs lack the number of quality prospects selling teams would want. Unfortunately, Chicago’s farm system is ranked just 24th in baseball, and they can get out-bid rather easily by other MLB teams.

That being said, several additions need to be made if the Cubs are to make a deep run in the postseason. It will be interesting to see how the MLB trade deadline shakes out and what talent Chicago is able to add.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs call up top prospect amid trade deadline speculation
• Cubs possible trade deadline acquisition would be so Chicago-like
• Cubs latest acquisition may spill beans on rival’s trade deadline plans

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are 57-45 on the season, seven games out of first place in the National League Central Division. Fortunately, while they are in a bit of hole within their division, they currently hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League.

Because of this, the Cubs are in a good position to make the MLB postseason. However, if they hope to make a deep run in the playoffs, they are going to need pitching reinforcements.

Indeed, Chicago’s pitching staff, both its starting rotation and bullpen, has been ravaged by injuries all season long. As the MLB trade deadline approaches, it is no secret that they are in the market for pitchers.

Joe Ryan named as the ideal trade target for the Chicago Cubs

Bleacher Report recently published an article in which the identified the ideal trade target for each contending team in baseball. When it came to the Cubs, they named Minnesota Twins starting pitcher (and two-time All-Star) Joe Ryan:

“At this point, it’s looking like they’ll be crossing their fingers with Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga in the first two games of the postseason. And they’re both impending free agents, so Chicago is presumably searching for more than just rentals to address the rotation.

“Though Joe Ryan just got shelled for six home runs by the Guardians on Monday, he has otherwise had an excellent season and could be the no-brainer G1 starter for the Cubs—if the Twins end up selling.”

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs call up top prospect amid trade deadline speculation
• Cubs possible trade deadline acquisition would be so Chicago-like
• Cubs latest acquisition may spill beans on rival’s trade deadline plans

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs have made some headlines and have stirred the pot for baseball conspiracy theorists everywhere with their latest roster move.

More News: Chicago Cubs possible trade deadline target would be so Cubs-like

According to Geoff Pontes of Baseball America, 23-year-old prospect James Triantos is being called up to the major league squad.

The 2021 second-round draft pick has been one of the Cubs’ most consistently well-regarded prospects since joining the organization. A down year in an injury-hampered 2025 cost him his spot on the Top 100 prospects list and kind of soured his top prospect status overall, but he still ranks no. 7 on the Cubs’ list and is essentially back to performing up to previous expectations.

For the Triple-A Iowa Cubs this season, the right-handed extreme contact hitter is currently slashing .306/.344/.440 with 7 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases.

Primarily a second baseman and third baseman, the organization has started giving him more playing time in the outfield, where he’s played a total of 16 games this season.

Interesting timing for the call-up

More News: Chicago Cubs’ latest acquisition may spill beans on trade deadline plans

The Cubs bringing him up now, though, has fueled some speculation. At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any burning need for Triantos’ services with Pedro Ramirez handling infield duties as a bench player and the combo of Kevin Alcantara and Justin Dean working as backup outfielders.

But we ARE less than two weeks away from the August 3 trade deadline.

Could the Cubs be showcasing Triantos for a possible trade? Could they be seeing how well he does at the major league level in anticipation of trading Ramirez or Matt Shaw? Once Shaw gets back from the IL, there surely wouldn’t be a point in having three outfield-capable second and third basemen on the same 26-man roster.

Unless there’s some injury-related reason for the Triantos call-up, it does seem very possible that the move could somehow be trade deadline-related.

Nothing but praise for Triantos

Whatever the case, there seems to be not a single negative word about the young man or his character. Although he doesn’t profile to have much power, he does just about everything else well.

Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd actually made a point of raving about Triantos during his early June rehab assignment in Iowa.

“He’s a great person,” Boyd told the Des Moines Register. “He’s a great ballplayer and I know he’s going to help us win ballgames at some point. He’s doing a great job.”

“Triantos keeps playing great wherever he’s (at) and hitting,” Boyd added.

Iowa Cubs manager Marty Pevey also can’t say enough about Triantos’ positives.

“When he swings at strikes, he’s as good a hitter as we have on the team,” said Pevey. “He’s still young, but he’s a freaking gamer. He plays so hard and I love that about him.”

The Cubs will take on the division rival Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday.

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The Chicago Cubs now have less than two weeks to go before the August 3 trade deadline passes and they’ll have to make do with the pitching they have. And with the team currently operating a pitching staff full of emergency fill-ins and castoffs from other teams, “standing pat” would not bode well for their chances in the postseason.

More News: Chicago Cubs’ latest acquisition may spill beans on trade deadline plans

So, the pressure is on for Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. With a trade market that looks much tighter than previously expected and a limited amount of trade capital to move, it won’t be easy picking up the haul needed to fortify a pitching staff that has been stressed and strained by injuries.

By most accounts, Chicago would need at least two solid starters and two quality relievers to walk into the playoffs with some degree of real confidence.

But even under extreme duress, Hoyer and the Cubs will probably follow their usual pattern when it comes to acquisitions. Expect a buy-low, hope-for-high strategy at the deadline. And when thinking like the Cubs, there’s one name that seems to scream out “pick me.”

Clay Holmes is Cubs material all the way

More News: Chicago Cubs: Craig Counsell’s no-BS trade deadline imperative

Clay Holmes of the New York Mets has been on the shelf with a broken right fibula since mid-May, but he’s due to make his first rehab start on Thursday. Up until the injury, though, he was doing ace-level work for the struggling Mets, posting a 2.39 ERA over 9 starts and 52.2 innings.

In terms of pitching style and temperament, the 33-year-old righty is Cubs material all the way. He induces weak contact and is working a 56% groundball rate.

Contractually, he has a $12 million player option for next season. He’d probably be more likely to exercise that option for a winning Cubs team with a defense that can make him look stellar before hitting free agency in 2028. Rumors previously had him talking extension with the Mets, so that could mean he’d be open to doing the same with the Cubs.

Just as important, the Mets’ asking price for him, given his injury and the fact that he could chose to become a free agent after this season, would be significantly more modest than what other teams will be demanding for a starting pitcher.

On the cheap?

The comparatively modest asking price would leave open the possibility of Chicago acquiring more arms by the deadline.

Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib also believes that Holmes might make sense for the Cubs:

“In a world where the Cubs look to add two starting pitchers to the rotation before the deadline, Clay Holmes of the New York Mets would be a worthwhile gamble…

Holmes has a player option for the 2027 season, and given the injury, there’s a chance that he avoids free agency this offseason. Especially since there’ll likely be a work stoppage and stunted free-agent market. If the Mets make him available, the Cubs should be involved.”

The Cubs and Mets worked together on a trade back in late June when Chicago acquired starting pitcher David Peterson in exchange for prospect Cole Mathis.

Provided Holmes looks decent and sturdy in his rehab, few in Chicago would look down on the possibility of bringing the veteran to the Cubs.

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The Chicago Cubs are making their way to the August 3 MLB trade deadline with a lot of uncertainty swirling all about them.

And as the winds of doubt pick up, the team has made a small acquisition that may give an indication of where the front office is headed.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Craig Counsell’s no-BS trade deadline imperative

It was announced on Tuesday that the Cubs had signed DFAd outfielder Greg Jones, most recently of the Milwaukee Brewers, to a minor league contract.

Admittedly, this isn’t a big, impactful move. Jones, a former first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019, has done nothing of note at either the major league or minor league level and has been passed along to several organizations looking to find some life in him.

If he finds his way to the big league Cubs, Jones would purely be a bench player as someone with speed and defensive versatility who can play all three outfield positions, plus middle infield in a pinch. He’d absolutely be a 26th man on the active roster.

Currently, that 26th man is outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara. The addition of outfield reinforcement, however, could mean that the 24-year-old might be shopped around in Chicago’s pursuit of pitching.

Alcantara trade brewing?

More News: Chicago Cubs slugger ranked among ESPN’s top trade deadline candidates

Alcantara—who puts up big power numbers in Triple-A, but struggles with the bat in the majors—will be out of minor league options next season. The Cubs will then be facing a situation where they have to either add him to the active roster out of spring training or cut him loose entirely. And given his inability to adjust to major league pitching, the smart move may be to see what they could get for him now rather than gamble on some sudden and borderline miraculous development.

The young, toolsy prospect could be a prized piece in a package for a high-end starting pitcher before the deadline.

Such a move would certainly make sense. Even with the possible departures of free agency-bound corner outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, an Alcantara who isn’t hitting at a big league level is of little use to the Cubs. And unlike any team that may want to give him a starting spot, Chicago is in “win now” mode and not in a position to focus on player development on the job.

Defying odds can only last so long

Right now, this team looks to be playoff bound. They are thirteen games above .500 and firmly atop the NL Wild Card standing. Fan Graphs currently gives them an 84.2% chance of making the playoffs.

But making the playoffs and doing well in the playoffs are two very different things.

Common baseball sense tells us that the teams who do things in the postseason are those that are rock-solid in pitching. The Cubs are most definitely not that.

As a matter of fact, it boggles the mind a bit that this crew is doing as well as it is with the pitching staff it has. In what sane, logical universe could a team be riding high, sporting the fourth-best record in all of baseball with four projected starting pitchers, their closer, and a half-dozen top relievers on the shelf?

So, the Cubs desperately need some impact arms. And Alcantara may still have enough shine on him to help bring in at least one such arm.

The Jones acquisition may be nothing more than a simple depth move by the Cubs. But the timing maybe shows there could be something else at play.

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The Chicago Cubs, by all sane expectations, shouldn’t have the fourth best record in all of baseball right now. In maybe any other world, they’d be somewhere near the middle of the pack, just somewhat in play for a Wild Card spot, but more focused on what they could do next year.

More News: Chicago Cubs slugger ranked among ESPN’s top trade deadline candidates

As things stand right now, though, they are thirteen games over .500 and holding firmly on to the top NL Wild Card spot. And they’re doing this with a patchwork pitching staff made up of emergency fill-ins and castoffs from other teams.

Emerging young ace Cade Horton was lost for the season with an elbow injury in just his second start. Veteran ace Justin Steele’s comeback from elbow surgery met with an ugly setback that may cost him the rest of this season. Ben Brown’s surprising emergence as a frontline starter has been derailed due to a recurring neck problem. Edward Cabrera is on the IL. Closer Daniel Palencia is deep into his second stint on the IL. Offseason bullpen acquisitions Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, and Hoby Milner are also currently on the shelf. Jameson Taillon was just activated after six weeks out of commission. Even Matthew Boyd has had two separate stints on the IL.

It’s been ugly. Yet, the Cubs keep winning.

The Cubs’ dilemma

More News: Chicago Cubs are stuck with “totally unacceptable” Jameson Taillon

And that puts the Cubs front office in a bit of a tough spot as the August 3 MLB trade deadline approaches.

The team clearly needs pitching—and lots of it. But, realistically, even a prodigious haul at the deadline won’t add enough arms to the mix for a serious run deep into the postseason. Injury has taken a lot of pieces from the team’s puzzle. At most, the hope is to get the Cubs good enough to make the playoffs and then hope and pray the team catches fire once there.

Counsell’s simple directive

Cubs manager Craig Counsell recently issued a no BS response when asked about his wishes ahead of the trade deadline.

“Just make the team better,” Counsell told reporters on Tuesday. “I don’t think there’s a specific to that at all right now. Most teams are in the same spot regarding that. There’s a lot of ways to make the team better.”

And, well, yeah.

The question, however, is how to do that with a limited amount of trade-bait prospect capital and a market that looks to be considerably more competitive than previously anticipated.

Cubs president Jed Hoyer could opt for a blanket approach, one where he acquires several lesser-regarded arms to provide the team with increased pitching depth. He could also target one major acquisition as a front-of-rotation presence and a morale boost to a team that has scrapped and shown true grit all season.

Something will have to be done, though, if the goal is to take this team into the playoffs with any chance of actually winning.

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There is a clear need for the Chicago Cubs ahead of the early August MLB trade deadline — pitching. The Cubs could use help with both the starting pitching as well as the relief pitching. Sitting in a NL Wild Card Spot and seven games back of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs believe thy are in striking distance.

They should be buyers at the deadline and while the farm system isn’t the best in baseball, they have prospects to go out and address the pitching situation. Now, their current opponent as of time of this publication, could have some pitchers that would interest the Cubs.

As the Cubs are in the middle of a series with the Detroit Tigers, ESPN reporter Jeff Passan released his updated rankings for 2026 trade deadline candidates.

On that list are two Tigers’ pitchers, and both could draw interest from the Cubs.

Chicago Cubs could target two Detroit Tigers’ pitchers

In Passans’ rankings, he lists Tarik Skubal at the top of his list. He mentions the Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, Phillies and Rays as serious contenders:

Skubal returned from midseason bone chip surgery in record time and hit 99.9 mph with his fastball, so any concerns about his stuff returning have been answered. His future depends on whether the Tigers can muster a run at an American League playoff spot.

Considering the hole they’ve dug themselves, they are far more likely than not to move Skubal — beyond their 4½-game deficit for the final wild card, they are behind six other teams — and they will squeeze every ounce of value out of the best pitcher in the world. He is the dream deadline candidate, the sort of ace who can carry a team in the postseason. Whoever lands Skubal will pay an enormous price. Happily.

The Cubs have been connected to Skubal rumors before. It makes sense if the Cubs feel like they are a big time starter away from being a contender. But the price will be a hefty one. If it’s too much, they could look at Casey Mize as another option and Passan puts the Cubs as a contender to trade for him as well:

While Mize has twice hit the injured list with a strained groin, his most recent start illustrates why he’ll be in high demand if Detroit decides to punt. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed one hit while striking out 10 Yankees. Mize isn’t popping any models with his stuff, but he’s striking out more than a batter an inning, he’s allowing less than a baserunner an inning, and his contract will be barely $2 million for the remainder of the season.

Mize will be a cheaper option than Skubal and both are signed only through this season. However, Mize would be a little more risky as he hasn’t been healthy or consistent this year.

The next couple of days could open things up on the trade market and the Cubs should be very active.

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Chicago Cubs rising star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is picking right up where he left off prior to the All-Star break. Over the first five games of the “second half”, he has reached base eight times over five games, which includes a three walk performance last night against the Detroit Tigers as well as hitting his 21st home run of the season.

Defensively, he also has made more spectacular plays. A recent improbable catch gave him 33 5-star catches for his career, the most among any players (with the least innings played by a landslide) since the statistic was introduced in 2016. For reference, a 5-star catch in baseball is a spectacular, low-probability defensive play where an outfielder has a 25% or lower chance of successfully catching the ball.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has the most 5-star catches since 2016

He made his MLB debut at the end of 2023 pic.twitter.com/3XdQGuDPff

— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) July 22, 2026

Crow-Armstrong, who undoubtedly was not only the team’s first half MVP but second by many to only Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP, has also recently seen his MVP odds shift in a positive direction. Over the last week, BetMGM has changed his odds from +700 to +375.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s NL MVP odds at @BetMGM:

Last week: +700
Current: +375

The race is heating up! pic.twitter.com/erfRmdWbzO

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 20, 2026

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s all around game makes him a perfect candidate to dethrone Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP in 2026

Over the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong was asked about the NL MVP race. He jokingly said he would have to get into a pitching lab in order to catch Ohtani in the race, who is chasing a fifth MVP of his career. Little did Crow-Armstrong know that in the short future Ohtani would be scratched from the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation indefinitely due to a lingering knee issue, which now subsequently may be factoring into his improved MVP odds.

Between this shift, Ohtani now strictly being a DH, and Crow-Armstrong being a well blended all around player who hits for a high batting average, gets on-base, hits for power, steals bases, and is a real threat for not only a second gold glove award but a platinum glove as well, he could eek out the MVP if Ohtani’s detour from pitching lasts long into the second half.

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When the 2025 MLB season ended, the Chicago Cubs were left with a difficult decision. Knowing that they were not going to be able afford (or rather, choose not to afford) Kyle Tucker, Chicago needed to find a player who could replace his offensive output.

As a result, the Cubs signed third baseman Alex Bregman to a lucrative five-year $175 million contract. As he was coming off of a season that saw him hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI, they were confident that hitting in hitter-friendly Wrigley Field would increase his productivity.

So far, it has not. However, it is not too late for him to have a massive impact on the team this season.

Alex Bregman predicted to the Chicago Cubs second-half All-Star

So far this year, Bregman is hitting .241/.336/.363 with 10 home runs and 43 RBI. Needless to say, these are disappointing numbers, far below the level or productivity for a player making $35 million a year.

But the three-time All-Star has a history of heating up as seasons progress, and The Athletic believes he will be Chicago’s “second-half All-Star,” as they stated in their weekly power rankings:

“A year after striking out on the third baseman, the Cubs ponied up the cash and the contract demands to land Bregman. At times during the first half, Chicago probably wished it hadn’t. The 32-year-old is currently in the midst of the worst offensive season of his career, his 97 wRC+ sitting three points below league average.

“There have been some flashes, including a 10-game stretch to close the first half, and the defense is still solid, but Bregman has otherwise been a non-factor for a Cubs team with major October aspirations.

“Fortunately, a hot start plus some historic contributions from Pete Crow-Armstrong have the Cubs in wild-card territory, but a contributing Bregman could mean the difference between hosting a series at Wrigley Field in October and playing on the road.”

As an aside, Chicago was ranked sixth in the power rankings.

Fortunately for the Cubs, they have been able to put together a good enough record that has them on pace for another Wild Card berth. Currently, they are seven games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the NL Central, but are on track to make the postseason again.

That being said, their pitching is highly questionable due to the number of injuries their staff has sustained, and they will need all the offense they can get in order to keep pace.

Bregman should be a big part of that. After all, it is what they are paying him for.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs are stuck with “totally unacceptable” Jameson Taillon
• Cubs proposed trade for 2x All-Star would be a serious overpay
• Cubs face brutal reality check in trade deadline pursuits

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs are in crisis mode when it comes to pitching. Monday’s 8-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field further spotlighted that reality. In the ten-inning loss, starter Jameson Taillon got walloped for four runs in the first inning and, in the tenth inning, reliever Trent Thornton suffered an ugly heel contusion from a shot drilled at him by Riley Greene.

More News: Chicago Cubs are stuck with “totally unacceptable” Jameson Taillon

The problem is that the trade market ahead of the upcoming August 3 MLB trade deadline looks extremely competitive as several teams thought to be sellers have turned things around and may end up being buyers (or standing pat).

The increased competition for the remaining available pitchers may put the Cubs in a tough situation where they have to get creative and pursue a mega-risky buyer-to-buyer deal with teams in a similar tough spot.

As a matter of fact, Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto recently stated his belief that the unusually tight market may pave the way for such trades between contending teams before the deadline.

Trading Suzuki?

More News: Chicago Cubs trade overpay for 2-time All-Star eyed by former MLB exec

In an ESPN piece by Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan ranking possible trade deadline candidates, Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was listed as no. 24 among the top 100 tradeable assets.

Per McDaniel and Passan:

“Chicago wants to get creative to fill its pitching issues, and that means at least listening on Suzuki, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Considering the paucity of impact outfielders available, Chicago could try to take advantage of the market and lean into its depth with Michael Conforto and Kevin Alcantara.

At the same time, dealing a hitter of Suzuki’s caliber is potentially counterproductive. The Cubs want to win this season, and Suzuki can be a big part of that.”

A buyer-to-buyer trade deadline shocker

Not too long ago, the offense-hungry Mariners were actually linked to Suzuki and the Cubs via media trade proposal in a deal for starting pitcher Luis Castillo.

If the Cubs pulled that one off, they’d lose one of the driving forces behind their offense—who may be gone after this season anyway. But they’d gain the 33-year-old starter who, despite having a down year, might still be an upgrade over everyone other than Matthew Boyd currently in the rotation. Plus, they’d have him under contract for next season as well.

There are other teams that could be in the mix for Suzuki if the Cubs were inclined to move him—and if Suzuki was inclined to wave his no trade clause to be moved. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees have been mentioned as possible fits.

Suzuki is currently slashing .273/.357/.476 with 16 home runs, 50 RBIs and an OPS of .834. The Japanese star right fielder has been one of the more consistent producers on the team since coming aboard in 2022 on a 5-year, $85 million contract.

Admittedly, a buyer-to-buyer trade like this doesn’t sound like the kind of gamble Jed Hoyer and the Cubs would ever make. But you just never know how much internal hunger there is to win right now.

As always, time will tell.

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One could say that the Chicago Cubs need for pitching is one of the worst kept secrets in baseball, but then again, it really is no secret. It has not been a secret since even before the season began.

All year long, the Cubs have seen pitcher after pitcher, both in their starting rotation and bullpen, hit the injured list. Some are out for the year, some came back just to go on IL again, and others are trying to avoid it all together. Unfortunately, not many of them have been able to stay healthy.

As such, Chicago has been linked to numerous pitchers ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and one outlet believes there is an obvious target the Cubs should, and will, pursue.

MLB analyst says trading for Freddy Peralta is the obvious move for the Chicago Cubs

For weeks, the Cubs have been linked to numerous pitchers that are rumored to be on the trading block. One name that has surfaced repeatedly is that of New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta.

So often has Chicago been mentioned as a possible trade destination for the two-time All-Star that Bleacher Report has now said it would be an “obvious” move:

“There is, however, no longer any question of whether the Cubs like Peralta as a trade target. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, they do.

“And in their defense, there is some noise to see through when looking at Peralta. He’s mostly pitched fine this year, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 14 of his 21 starts. And the fastball is gaining steam, jumping from an average of 94.2 mph in June to 95.1 mph so far in July.”

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs are stuck with “totally unacceptable” Jameson Taillon
• Cubs proposed trade for 2x All-Star would be a serious overpay
• Cubs face brutal reality check in trade deadline pursuits

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs almost ended up winning a game Monday night they were set up to lose from the first inning. Unfortunately, a brutal two innings of poor execution at the end of the game allowed the Detroit Tigers to take back the momentum and close the show with an 8-6 win in ten innings at Wrigley Field.

More News: Chicago Cubs trade overpay for 2-time All-Star eyed by former MLB exec

This was truly a group-effort loss as there were many goats to toss cans at. The first—and arguably biggest—goat, though, may have been returning veteran starter Jameson Taillon.

The 34-year-old righty was coming back from a six-week stint on the IL with a left hamstring strain and, following a pattern he had established before the injury, got lit up in the first inning. All told, he gave up four earned runs and two home runs over 4.1 innings, but he put the Cubs behind 4-0 before they even got their first at bat.

Taillon gets lit up, again

More News: Chicago Cubs face brutal reality check in trade deadline pursuits

And while this first outing back from the IL could be chalked up to rust, it’s important to double back and reemphasize that this start on Monday really wasn’t all that different from what he was doing when 100% healthy and active. On the year, Taillon is 2-5 with a 5.38 ERA over 14 starts and 72 innings.

If there were four other healthy, productive starters on the Cubs rotation, maybe they could overlook Taillon’s inability to avoid the long ball and keep the team in games. But this is a rotation rattled and strained by the season-ending elbow injury to Cade Horton, the extended IL stints of Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera, and the setback to ace Justin Steele’s comeback following last year’s elbow surgery.

But even under these circumstances, it might be better to have almost anyone else out there every fifth game.

“Totally unacceptable”

Joe George of the Locked on Cubs Postcast touched on the frustration over the veteran’s struggles in his post-game wrap-up:

“If Taillon’s gonna be out there, it can’t be like this. It’s not sustainable. It sets you up for failure…Going out there and being the home run derby guy at the start of these games is totally unacceptable and that has to change. If it doesn’t change, the Cubs are going to have to make an acquisition at the deadline to push Jameson Taillon off this roster…The only reason he doesn’t lead major league baseball in home runs is because he’s been hurt for so long.”

Taillon, who came to the Cubs in 2023 on a 4-year, $68 million contract, is eligible for free agency at the end of this season and it’s a sure thing that Chicago will not make any effort to re-sign him.

On most teams, he probably would’ve been either cut already or relegated to the bullpen. The Cubs, though, are desperate for arms and they pretty much have no choice but to keep marching him out there.

The hope is that a trade deadline haul, along with the return of some of their own injured pitchers, could allow for Taillon to be given some less high-profile role on the staff.

In the meantime, we’re probably going to see a lot more outings like Monday’s.

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The Chicago Cubs are staring down what many believe will be a rougher than rough market ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs face brutal reality check in trade deadline pursuits

With tight races in both leagues and many expected sellers possibly becoming buyers at the last minute, Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office could find themselves priced out of the bidding for a much-needed high-end starting pitcher and closer-capable reliever. Unless, of course, they’re willing to overpay.

An overpay for the right arm?

More News: Chicago Cubs encouraged to trade for one-time top prospect

Jim Bowden, former MLB exec and current analyst for The Athletic, recently listed a Cubs-Kansas City Royals deal he’d like to see—one which he acknowledges as an overpay from Chicago.

Per Bowden:

“In this deal, the Cubs would add Wacha, 35, who made the AL All-Star team this year and is controllable through 2027 with a team option for 2028. He has posted sub-4.00 ERAs each of the past five years (including this one) and still has a special changeup and unique downward plane to his pitches.

In return, the Royals get two young bats who can’t crack the Cubs’ starting lineup in Shaw and Alcántara. Shaw, 24, can play second base, third base and corner outfield. As an everyday player, he projects to have 15-20 home run power. Alcántara, 23, has never been given a legitimate chance with Chicago, but he’s having another strong season in Triple A.

I think this deal is an overpay by the Cubs, but it should be worth it to land a veteran starter like Wacha, especially given that there are so few starting pitchers on the market right now.”

And, yeah, this would be considered an overpay given the high ceilings of both Shaw and Alcantara.

The price for Wacha

The 24-year-old Shaw could probably be playing every day third base or second base for many—if not most—major league teams right now. With the Cubs’ signing of Alex Bregman this past offseason and the extension of Nico Hoerner, Shaw has become a full-time bench player. And the truth is that Chicago’s 2023 no. 1 draft pick should be playing every day—or traded for someone who can contribute in a more meaningful way.

Alcantara is also 24, but he’s coming along at a slower pace than Shaw. Still, the outfield prospect is extremely toolsy and would be a great gamble of a pickup, especially as a secondary acquisition in a trade.

For the Cubs, a deal like this makes sense because of the team’s dire need for starting pitching, not only for the rest of this season, but also for next year and beyond. Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon could all be free agents at the end of this season and Cade Horton will miss a good portion of next season recovering from April’s Tommy John surgery. The Cubs will need some healthy arms to replace them and Wacha, even at 35 years of age, fits that bill perfectly.

But is this a trade the Cubs would make? The team isn’t exactly known for its boldness when it comes to trade deadline deals. But getting a solid two-time All-Star starting pitcher for a pennant race and, potentially, two years after that is not something that comes along very often.

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The Chicago Cubs, in the days leading up to the All-Star break, had a clear mission—keep their beleaguered, banged-up pitching staff at least somewhat functional until the trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs encouraged to trade for one-time top prospect

By the August 3 MLB deadline, the team would restock with some much-needed pitching help. At the very least, they were expected to pick up a high-end starting pitcher and a couple of solid relievers. Many believed they would go even deeper into the market to find two viable arms for a rotation rocked by injury.

In the meantime, they would tread water as best they could with the ragtag collection of emergency fill-ins and castoffs from other teams they were forced to employ.

Maybe, though, the expected deadline haul won’t happen after all. Maybe the treading of water will have to continue for the rest of the season.

Sellers becoming buyers

More News: Chicago Cubs: Insider targets “perfect fit” for Cubs trade deadline shopping

The thing is, back when all of these “Cubs will be aggressive buyers” stories were everywhere, the standings looked significantly different than they do right now. Specifically, some of the teams with the most attractive trade bait for the Cubs have worked themselves into being contenders.

The Boston Red Sox, for example, were expected to trade away both Sonny Gray and Aroldis Chapman. Their current 13-game winning streak, though, has given them the third AL Wild Card spot and a realistic chance of moving further up.

The Miami Marlins have surprised everyone with their 2026. They are now four games over .500 and right at the gate of NL Wild Card consideration. So, consider Sandy Alcantara and any other attractive pitching option off the table.

The Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, and even Detroit Tigers can probably be taken off the sellers list as well. They could even join the Red Sox and Marlins as buyers—something which would strain the trade deadline market even further.

Right off the bat, this could mean that expected stud pitchers Gray, Chapman, Alcantara, Joe Ryan, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Foster Griffin, Casey Mize, and Tarik Skubal, among others, are likely not to be traded after all.

More competition for fewer pitchers

This would also mean that there will be more competition for the remaining available arms—something that doesn’t bode well for the usually conservative Cubs, who are also lacking in tradeable high-end prospects.

To make matters worse for the Cubs, The Milwaukee Brewers—who do have plenty of tradeable high-end prospects—may now have to dive deep into the trade market for a starting pitcher. With Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison ailing and Brandon Woodruff done for the season, the NL Central rival Brewers may have no choice but to become big-time deadline buyers.

Make no mistake about it, this will be a tough market when it comes to making a deal for pitching. Whoever does pull the trigger on a big trade for a starter or elite closer will probably have to overpay greatly.

And that certainly doesn’t fit the profile of how the Cubs front office usually likes to work the trade deadline.

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The Chicago Cubs got the second half of the 2026 off to a great start, taking two out of three against the Minnesota Twins over the weekend. They are now 56-43 on the season, and still sit in second place of the National League Central Division.

The next couple of weeks will be incredibly important for Chicago, as they navigate the MLB trade deadline and try to add the pitching they so desperately need to keep pace in the National League. As it stands, though, they have one of the best records in the league, and are shooting up MLB power rankings.

The Chicago Cubs take over third on the latest MLB power rankings

Last week, Bleacher Report had the Cubs listed as fifth in their final MLB power rankings going into the All-Star break. After Chicago took two out of three from Minneosta, though, they have them all the up to third:

“The Cubs have not lost more than two consecutive games since June 10, going 22-9 in their last 31 contests since snapping what was a three-game losing streak. It’s a testament to their offensive firepower and elite defense that they have played so well during that stretch despite a glaring need for more starting pitching, and that figures to be the top priority at the trade deadline.”

The good news for the Cubs is that slumping offensive stars Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner appear to have finally figured it out at the plate. This alone will go a long way to help them avoid the low valleys that plagued them in the first half of the season.

That being said, if Chicago is not able to add multiple quality pitchers ahead of the MLB trade deadline, they could be in serious trouble. So many pitchers on their roster have suffered significant injuries, and they will not be able to make a deep postseason run if they do not get some healthy arms as reinforcements.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs pitcher’s admission for poor performance does not leave optimism for future turnaround
• Cubs predicted to trade Moises Ballesteros amid emergence of #8 prospect
• Matthew Boyd becomes 3rd Cubs player to reach major milestone in 2026 

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Last year, Matt Shaw emerged as the everyday third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. He hit .226/.295/.394 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI, and 17 stolen bases and finished ninth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. It looked to many like Chicago had their third baseman of the future.

But then the Cubs signed Alex Bregman during the off-season. He, of course, was going to take over third base. With Nico Hoerner entrenched at second base, and Dansby Swanson at shortstop, Shaw was left without a position he could play every day.

As a result, Chicago started developing him into a utility player. They had him work in the outfield during Spring Training, and half of his appearances this year have come at one of those three positions.

The Chicago Cubs are urged to trade Matt Shaw for Michael Wacha

Suddenly, Shaw was dispensable. While he is currently on the injured list right now, many people believe the Cubs could still use him in a trade that would bring Chicago something they desperately need: pitching.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently suggested a deal that would send Shaw and Kevin Alcantara to the Kansas City Royals for two-time All-Star Michael Wacha:

“In this deal, the Cubs would add Wacha, 35, who made the AL All-Star team this year and is controllable through 2027 with a team option for 2028. He has posted sub-4.00 ERAs each of the past five years (including this one) and still has a special changeup and unique downward plane to his pitches.

“In return, the Royals get two young bats who can’t crack the Cubs’ starting lineup in Shaw and Alcántara. Shaw, 24, can play second base, third base and corner outfield. As an everyday player, he projects to have 15-20 home run power. Alcántara, 23, has never been given a legitimate chance with Chicago, but he’s having another strong season in Triple A.”

Bowden admits that this deal would be a bit of an overpay by Chicago, but also claims it would be worth it considering that the market for starting pitchers is so thin. Low supply and high demand means that the price is going to be high.

Wacha, as Bowden points out, was an All-Star this year for the second time in his career. He currently is 5-7 with a 3.77 ERA. Most importantly, he is healthy. The 35-year-old right-handed pitcher has made 19 starts this year and made 31 in 2025.

As a side note, Wacha making the All-Star team in 2026 was significant as he became one of the few players ever to go more than 10 years between such appearances. He last made the All-Star team in 2015 when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs pitcher’s admission for poor performance does not leave optimism for future turnaround
• Cubs predicted to trade Moises Ballesteros amid emergence of #8 prospect
• Matthew Boyd becomes 3rd Cubs player to reach major milestone in 2026 

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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When the Chicago Cubs signed Phil Maton to a two-year, $14.5 million contract last offseason, the expectation was that they were adding a proven veteran reliever capable of anchoring the back end of their bullpen. Instead, his first season on the North Side has been filled with struggles, and a recent admission from Maton suggests a turnaround may not be coming.

Chicago Cubs reliever Phil Maton admits to changing his mechanics during the off-season due to tendinitis

According to Brendan Miller of CHCO Cubs Podcast, Maton altered his throwing mechanics last off-season in order to make his knee feel better. In this process, he lost the feel on his pitches and has not been executing the way he needs to. Furthermore, his velocity has been down at times this year, all of which has contributed to his unexpected 6.08 ERA this year.

Phil Maton has described chronic tendonitis as a reason for his poor production. He said changed mechanics in the offseason to make his knee feel better, and that cost him feel. That’s an uninspiring explanation. Age, injuries, inability to repeat mechanics without pain.

— Brendan Miller (@brendan_cubs) July 19, 2026

For more context, Maton has had two separate stints on the injured list this year with right knee tendinitis. The first came in mid-April and the other one more recently towards the end of June. The organization’s plan was to get him feeling right so that he could pitch in big moments later in the year, but in surrendering a run against the Twins during his first outing post All-Star break, he has now had three consecutive outings with one run allowed.

The concerning part for the Cubs is that this is not a situation where they can simply move on and look for another option. Chicago invested multiple years in Maton, meaning the organization is committed to him through the 2027 season. Unfortunately, Maton’s own acknowledgment of why he has been struggling does little to inspire confidence that an immediate fix is coming.

Ultimately, Chicago’s only path forward is hoping Maton can rediscover his feel, and start locating/executing pitches again. If he cannot return closer to his previous form, he will slide into the lowest leverage role in the bullpen and become a forgotten piece.

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Late last season, the Chicago Cubs brought up their most exciting offensive prospect, Moises Ballesteros, for his first taste of Major League Baseball. He responded well, hitting .298/.394/.474 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 20 games.

Based on his performance in Triple-A and the Majors last year, the Cubs made the decision to add Ballesteros to their Opening Day roster to start the 2026 season. However, he is such a poor defensive catcher and first baseman that the only way he could see regular at bats was as the designated hitter.

Unfortunately, the young rookie became borderline unplayable even in that role due to how much he struggled at the plate this year.

The Chicago Cubs may trade Moises Ballesteros

In 59 games up in Chicago this season, Ballesteros has hit .231/.303/.385 with six home runs and 23 RBI. Over a month ago, the Cubs sent him back down to Triple-A where he can get back into his offensive rhythm and improve his defense.

The thing is, though, Owen Ayers, also a catcher, was just promoted to Triple-A. Bleacher Report believes this could indicate that Chicago is open to moving on from Ballesteros:

“The Cubs desire for more starting pitching might be the worst-kept secret of this year’s trade deadline, and they showed a willingness to part with quality prospect talent during the offseason when they sent Owen Caissie to the Marlins.

“Moisés Ballesteros got off a strong start this year before slumping badly and being demoted to Triple-A, and he has yet to get back on track in the minors. Meanwhile, fellow bat-first catcher Owen Ayers is hitting .315/.427/.634 with 22 home runs in 76 games, and he was just promoted to Triple-A. Could Ayers’ breakout make Ballesteros a trade chip?”

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs insider targets “perfect fit” for Chicago ahead of MLB trade deadline
• Cubs bring back another 2025 arm
• Could Matt Shaw injury ruin Cubs trade deadline plans?

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Coming out of the All-Star break, Matthew Boyd delivered six innings of one earned run baseball as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Minnesota Twins by a score of 6-2. This outing marked Boyd’s third straight of covering at least six innings and gave him a 2.45 ERA so far in July. Remarkably, he also surpassed a major career milestone by passing the 10 years of MLB service time threshold.

10 years of MLB service time is something few players accomplish, with less than 10% or 1,000-2,000 total players having reached it. Significantly, it grants players a fully vested pension following their playing days and also provides them with 10-and-5 rights, or the ability to veto any trade scenario.

Boyd’s journey to 10 years of MLB service time resembles a story of resilience, but interestingly he also is the third Cubs player to reach this accomplishment in 2026.

Matthew Boyd joins Chicago Cubs teammates Jameson Taillon and Alex Bregman with 10 years of MLB service time

Earlier this year, Jameson Taillon and Alex Bregman reached 10 years of MLB service time. Boyd, age 35, is the oldest of the group, making his MLB Debut in 2015, whereas Taillon, age 34, and Bregman, age 32, both debuted in 2016. Injuries, including undergoing Tommy John surgeries, as well as inconsistencies on the mound, all played a part in why Boyd is the last of this group to reach this milestone.

That said, reaching 10 years of MLB service time is a testament to both talent and perseverance, and Boyd’s path to the milestone reflects just how much he has overcome throughout his career. After battling injuries and enduring the ups and downs that come with more than a decade in the majors, he has not only earned one of baseball’s most meaningful career achievements but is also once again playing a key role on a Cubs team with postseason aspirations.

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The Chicago Cubs need help as they make their way to the August 3 MLB trade deadline. There’s absolutely no denying that.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Insider targets “perfect fit” for Cubs trade deadline shopping

For as good as they can be in every other regard, their pitching will bring them crashing down unless some serious reinforcement is acquired ahead of the most heated part of the pennant race. By most accounts, the team needs, ideally, two starting pitchers and a steady closer-capable reliever, at the very least.

But could the Cubs also be in the market for a bat?

If there’s one weak point in the non-pitching game of the Cubs, it may be at designated hitter. Currently, with the demotion of prospect Moises Ballesteros, there’s no true, dedicated DH on the team. Michael Conforto has been used, as have a few other position players given a rest from playing defense. But Chicago doesn’t have a full-time (or even platoon) DH with true long ball capability.

Bringing back a Cubs slugging prospects

More News: Chicago Cubs: Could Matt Shaw injury ruin trade deadline plans?

Brandon Glick of Cubbies Crib recently tossed out the idea of the Cubs trading for a former top prospect of theirs who might have a shot at assuming that role— the Angels’ Jorge Soler.

The 34-year-old Soler, who was traded by the Cubs to the Royals for closer Wade Davis in 2016, is not doing well, statistically. This season, he’s hitting .209 with 11 home runs in 318 plate appearances over 76 games. Arguably, he hasn’t had a truly “good” season since 2023 when he hit 36 home runs and batted .250 with the Marlins.

But, as Glick points out, he could still have some significant value for this Cubs team.

Per Glick:

“So, why would the Cubs want him back? Well, he’s a readily available rental bat who will almost certainly come attached to plenty of money to offset some his remaining salary. He’s also got an impressive track record with the platoon advantage, smoking left-handed pitchers to the tune of an .846 OPS and 126 wRC+ throughout his career.

That’s obviously a huge strength for this team already — Chicago ranks first in baseball with a 118 wRC+ versus southpaws — but adding some power to that lineup against lefties wouldn’t hurt. Soler would also seamlessly fit in as a platoon partner for Michael Conforto at DH, allowing Carson Kelly to get more rest on the days he isn’t catching.”

Alone or paired with a pitcher?

Well, bringing Soler back aboard is certainly an idea worth kicking around a bit—if the Cubs can get him on the cheap. It especially might make some sense if the righty slugger could be packaged with one of the Angels’ high-end trade market pitchers.

The last place and MLB-worst Angels could have a number of pitchers on the trade market before the deadline. Names such as Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano, Ryan Zeferjahn, Sam Bachman, Kirby Yates, and Chase Silseth could all be of use to the Cubs.

The 27-year-old Detmers, who is under team control through the 2028 season, might be an especially attractive target.

A Detmers/Soler package for a small haul of Cubs prospects with blocked paths to the big leagues—headlined by first baseman Jonathon Long and/or infielder James Triantos—might be something worth considering.

The trade deadline is now about two weeks away.

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The 2026 MLB trade deadline is drawing closer and closer, and it is no secret that the Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of pitching. Even with the recent trade for Aaron Civale, Chicago needs as much quality depth as they can get in both their bullpen and starting rotation.

While Civale pitched well for the Cubs last season out of the bullpen, he has not been good as a starter over the past two years. What is more, Chicago’s numerous injuries to their rotation put starting pitchers at the top of their trade deadline wish list.

Unfortunately, one of the more high-profile arms they have been linked to is now favored to go to their biggest rival this year.

Chicago Cubs trade target Freddy Peralta has been favored to the Milwaukee Brewers

One pitcher that has long been linked to the Cubs, whether it be in trade rumors this year or as a potential target in free agency after the season, is current New York Mets starter Freddy Peralta. A two-time All-Star with the Milwaukee Brewres, the Cubs know Peralta well, and manager Craig Counsell was with him when the two were in Milwaukee.

The fact that the Mets ace is having a down year has only furthered speculation that he will be traded. His struggles, along with his impending free agency, would seem to indicate he will not cost much either.

On paper, he sounds like the perfect fit for the Cubs. However, MLB insider Hector Gomez reported that Peralta is now more likely to be traded back to the Brewers, who shipped him to the Mets this past off-season:

SOURCE: The #Brewers have emerge as the top suitor to get starting pitcher Freddy Peralta before the trade deadline.#Braves and #Rays are showing a lot of interest in him, too.@z101digital

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) July 18, 2026

Milwaukee is dealing with some significant losses to their starting rotation as well, though not nearly as much as Chicago has. It would be terribly ironic of Peralta ends up back in Milwaukee, but it would also be a disappointment to the Cubs, as they are in dire need of his services.

The fact that Peralta is 9-4 with a 3.13 ERA against the Cubs during his career is also noteworthy.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs insider targets “perfect fit” for Chicago ahead of MLB trade deadline
• Cubs bring back another 2025 arm
• Could Matt Shaw injury ruin Cubs trade deadline plans?

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago  sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs have now officially begun their second-half push to the postseason and are inching closer to what many feel is a make-or-break August 3 MLB trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Could Matt Shaw injury ruin trade deadline plans?

With a full staff of pitchers on the shelf due to injury and uncertainty swirling all about, the team needs to make some impact acquisitions at the deadline if the goal is to do anything of note in the playoffs. There’s no guarantee that they will even make the playoffs if their patchwork pitching staff can’t be significantly reinforced.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has already gone on record as saying that pitching will pretty much be their sole focus heading into the deadline. The question is who Chicago will target and whether they’ll truly go “all in” when it comes to landing an impactful arm or two.

Lots of names have been tossed about by media and fans, mentioned as fits for a needy Cubs team. Ideally, the Cubs would like a younger pitcher with years of team control remaining after this season. But, given their need and the reality that the trade market may be much tighter than anticipated, they may have no choice but to go for a rental or two.

Robbie Ray, perfect fit?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Good news and terrible news on the pitching injury front

Bob Nightengale of USA Today feels that Robbie Ray of the San Francisco Giants is a perfect fit for the team and its particular needs.

Per Nightengale:

“But if they’re going to be a serious challenger to the big boys in the National League, they’re going to need some more pitching. To be specific, a big-time starter, with San Francisco Giants No. 2 starter Robbie Ray being a perfect fit. They are expected to have Jameson Taillon return this week, and Edward Cabrera in three weeks, but they can’t afford to wait. They could use bullpen help, too, with closer Daniel Palencia sidelined until at least mid-August.”

The 34-year-old left-hander is in the last year of his contract and will be headed to free agency at the end of this season. On the year, he’s 8-6 with a 3.38 ERA in 106.2 innings over 19 games.

Right off the bat, bringing in Ray would give the Cubs a durable starter who can give the team innings. On the current roster, only Shota Imanaga has amassed more innings pitched this season (108) than Ray (106.2).

When working at full capacity, the 13-year veteran can provide some ace-level work. Over the course of his career, he has a 3.90 ERA. Tommy John surgery in 2023 may have made his workhorse reputation a thing of the past, but he bounced back with 182.1 innings in 2025 and is on his way to a respectable workload this season as well.

But…

A point of concern, though, is that Ray can give up the long ball and is currently working below league average in home runs per nine innings with a 1.27 rate. He’s not exactly Imanaga in that regard, but he can be touched.

With starting pitching at a premium this deadline, the Giants may also be asking a lot for the veteran. At some point, it just wouldn’t make sense to give up premium prospects for a 3-month rental on a team that would still need some true good fortune to get though its pitching issues.

Time will tell what the Cubs do at this trade deadline.

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After the Cubs 6-2 win over the Twins on Saturday, the front office made another pitching move. They acquired veteran righty Aaron Civale and cash considerations from the Athletics. 22-year old righty Aiden Moffett goes to the Athletics, per Jesse Rogers. Civale, 31, pitched to a 5.42 ERA, 5.34 FIP, 1.62 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, and 2.8 BB/9 in 74.2 innings (15 starts, 16 total appearances).

Righty Aiden Moffett going back. Cubs had Civale for a bit last year. https://t.co/9smylL7344

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) July 18, 2026

Another 2025 Cubs pitcher returns

Civale joins veteran Drew Pomeranz as a 2025 Cub pitcher to sign elsewhere this season, then return. While he only pitched in 13 innings as a Cub last year, he posted a 2.08 ERA and 0.54 WHIP in five appearances.

This move, while not flashy by any means, makes sense for the Cubs. At this time, when the big names are not moving, getting veteran arm depth who can start or come out of the pen and pitch multiple innings is nice to have with all of the injuries. He definitely fits (as we saw last year) what Craig Counsell can do with pitchers.

Post All-Star break @Cubs injury roundup (all per Counsell):

Taillon (left hamstring strain) – "The first one back… he'll be active in the Tiger series." Exact day TBD.

Milner (appendicitis) – "Probably the next guy… because it's not really a baseball injury." Pretty much…

— Elise Menaker (@EliseMenaker) July 17, 2026

Civale is a career 4.26 ERA, 4.35 FIP, 1.25 WHIP, 8.0 K/9, and 2.5 BB/9 pitcher, which is solid enough to keep a team in a game. He is not going to blow people away; he’s mostly a cutter, curveball, sinker, low-90s four-seamer pitcher. More flyballs (40.6%) vs. grounders (38.2%) in his career, though with the A’s this year he sports a 0.56 GB/FB ratio. A nice attribute he has is good command, with a career 6.6% walk rate.

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Chicago baseball fans have a special kind of rivalry on their hands, one that splits households and offices right down the middle every single summer. With the Wrigley Field portion of the 2026 Crosstown Classic coming up in August, and this year marking the twentieth anniversary of one of the most infamous moments in the series’ history, it felt like the right time to look back at what makes this rivalry so much fun.

The Punch That Started It All

You can’t talk about Crosstown Classic history without bringing up May 20, 2006. Cubs catcher Michael Barrett threw a punch at White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski after a play at the plate, and it sparked a full on brawl that’s still talked about two decades later. It’s the kind of moment that transcends the box score, genuinely one of the defining images of this entire rivalry.

Twenty years later, and the series still carries that same intensity, even if the punches have stayed confined to the batter’s box.

This Year’s Rate Field Drama

The 2026 season already gave us a taste of that classic back and forth energy. During the South Side leg of the series in May, the finale turned into an absolute rollercoaster. The Cubs jumped out to an early lead, the White Sox rallied to go ahead late, Michael Conforto tied it up with a three run homer, and then Edgar Quero walked it off in extra innings to win both the game and the series for the South Siders. In front of a sellout crowd at Rate Field, it was exactly the kind of chaotic finish that keeps this rivalry must watch television every year.

The Numbers Behind the Rivalry

Heading into the Wrigley portion of this year’s series, the all time head to head record sits incredibly close, with the Cubs holding a slim edge in the series history. That tightness is honestly part of what makes this rivalry so compelling. Neither side has ever been able to fully claim bragging rights for long, and every new season adds another chapter to a story that’s been building since the two teams first squared off in interleague play back in 1997.

Why the Rivalry Keeps Delivering

Part of what makes Cubs versus White Sox so much fun is that it’s not really about playoff races or division titles most years. It’s pure, unfiltered city pride. North Side versus South Side, Wrigley versus Rate Field, and neighbors, coworkers, and family members picking sides for a few days every summer. That kind of built-in drama doesn’t need October stakes to matter. Even mega casino slots couldn’t manufacture the kind of unpredictable emotions and bragging rights that this crosstown rivalry creates year after year.

Looking Ahead to Wrigley

With the Wrigley Field games set for mid August, fans on both sides will be looking to settle the score from that wild finish back in May. Given how this year’s series has already gone, there’s no reason to expect anything less than another memorable few days of baseball, and possibly a new moment that gets talked about for years to come.

Final Word

Twenty years after “The Punch,” the Crosstown Classic still delivers the kind of drama that makes Chicago baseball special. Whether you bleed Cubbie blue or Sox black, this is one series that never disappoints. See you at Wrigley in August.

The post 20 Years After “The Punch”: Ranking the Wildest Crosstown Classic Moments Ahead of the Wrigley Series appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are now just a little over two weeks away from what could be a make-or-break trade deadline.

Come August 3, everyone will know whether Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer did enough to fill the gaping holes in a besieged pitching staff to facilitate a strong postseason run. And make no mistake about it—with a rotation and bullpen full of question marks—this deadline will be all about pitching.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Good news and terrible news on the pitching injury front

“We’re not ruling out any kind of position-player transaction,” Hoyer told reporters on Friday, “but the expectation is we will focus on our pitching staff…Obviously, the challenge for us has simply been pitching and pitching injuries.”

The tough part is that the Cubs’ farm system is not exactly overflowing with enticing high-end prospects. And the Cubs would like to keep some—if not all—of their younger prospects to populate a system that has become depleted over the last couple of years.

Matt Shaw’s value

More News: Chicago Cubs trade deadline aggression may hinge on one key factor

There are still tradeable assets, though, and maybe the biggest one is currently working at the major league level, blocked from a starting spot on the big league team—Matt Shaw.

The 24-year-old Shaw was the Cubs’ 2023 first round draft pick and had seemingly won the team’s third base spot last season. Then, Chicago signed Alex Bregman. Later, they extended second baseman Nico Hoerner, squeezing Shaw from his next most likely starting position.

On a lot of teams, Shaw would be starting already. He’s considered by many a plug-and-play guy who could contribute at the major league level for just about any team immediately upon being acquired.

As such, he’s Chicago’s most valuable bit of trade bait. However, he’s also currently injured and facing, by all accounts, an uncertain road to recovery.

Officially placed on the 10-day IL with a left hand sprain on June 29, there seems to be some hangup with his rehab.

Recovery setback?

Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports Network, in a social media update on the team’s injuries, described the situation like this:

“Still symptomatic, it was possible the pain would linger and it has.”

Menaker then quotes Cubs manager Craig Counsell: “He’s tried some things in the cage, it’s getting better, but it’s still there… We have to wait for it to be gone, so that’s definitely going to be longer. We’re not swinging a bat at this point.”

So, will Shaw’s injury affect his value come trade deadline?

It might if there’s even a hint that what appeared to be a simple problem could be something significantly more complicated. This is, after all, his second stint on the IL. And on both occasions, the injuries seemed to be deceptively simple (back strain, hand sprain).

Many feel that if the Cubs are going to land a high-end starting pitcher, with years of team control beyond 2026, Shaw might have to be part of the deal. Shaw’s youth, positional versatility and the fact that he has proven himself at the major league level, at least to some degree, makes him valuable enough to give up a quality pitcher.

The question now, though, is whether Shaw can come back and put health issues behind him decisively enough to be the trade chip the Cubs could want him to be.

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The Chicago Cubs made it to the second half of the season with a patchwork pitching staff after being absolutely besieged by injury over the first four months of the baseball year.

More News: Chicago Cubs early trade shopping? Mets are sellers, Padres dangling Mason Miller

The team currently has a full major league pitching staff on the shelf—a pretty good one—and is motoring into the thick of the pennant race stressed and strained, utilizing a number of emergency fill-ins and castoffs from other teams.

The hope is that the Cubs’ front office can acquire some high-end arms by the August 3 MLB trade deadline to reinforce a hopefully playoff-bound team. But, realistically, a couple of deadline pickups won’t be enough to replace what’s missing.

Chicago needs to get back some of its injured pitching assets or even the best trade deadline haul won’t matter all that much.

On Friday, manager Craig Counsell offered some updates on the team’s injured hurlers. And, basically, it was a good news/bad news kind of thing.

The “good” news

More News: Chicago Cubs prospect named as ideal trade bait ahead of deadline

Jameson Taillon, according to reporting from Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports Network, is ready to go and will be back for the Detroit Tigers series on Monday. The veteran’s left hamstring strain cost him about six weeks of a season that was going poorly anyway. At this point, though, even having a diminished Taillon starting every fifth day would be a positive. But if he can turn things around and get even remotely close to vintage form, his return will be huge.

Hoby Milner is recovering from surgery following appendicitis. Arm-wise, he’s fine and it’s now just a matter of getting him built back up to full strength. His return is targeted for “August 1-ish.”

Edward Cabrera was supposed to play a big role in solidifying the middle of the Cubs rotation and eventually grow into a front-of-rotation asset. Instead, he worked fourteen inconsistent starts before going down with a left hamstring strain.

“His first kind of real, big day off the mound yesterday, and that went really well,” said Counsell. “He should be a viable option for us second week of August, assuming everything goes well from here.”

The bad news

The news regarding closer Daniel Palencia couldn’t be painted with any positive brush stroke. Apparently, he’s not making much progress with the right elbow inflammation that put him on the IL, with Counsell’s ominous quote casting a dark cloud: “not moving forward… so we’re having to repeat some steps so far.”

Ben Brown was in the midst of a breakthrough year, posting a 1.85 ERA and becoming the team’s de facto ace. Then, the neck issues that cost him much of 2024 returned. The 26-year-old last pitched on June 19 and it’s unclear when/if he’ll be back this season or whether he can return to the rotation.

“Everything has been really good,” Counsell told Menaker, mentioning that Brown’s been alternating between throwing plyo balls and baseballs. “He’s been asymptomatic for a number of days now, but I don’t know if that means he’s healed up necessarily… we need to stretch that time out to make sure we don’t recreate them.”

On other words, they have no idea when Brown may be back, or if he’ll be back at all.

Justin Steele’s season, meanwhile, is still up in the air as he works through the setback that stalled his return from elbow surgery last season. Originally targeted for a May-June return, Menaker is relaying the news that the former Cubs ace is set to begin throwing bullpens the first week of August.

Given that timing, it’s likely that Steele sees just a sliver of regular season playing time, all of it likely from the bullpen—if he pitches this season at all.

And all of this, of course, is taking into account that Cade Horton is out for the season after Tommy John surgery and that guys like Porter Hodge and Shelby Miller will also definitely not see any playing time this year. Then there are wild cards like Hunter Harvey and Riley Martin who may also be done for 2026.

The post Chicago Cubs: Good news and terrible news on the pitching injury front appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Under Craig Counsell, the Chicago Cubs have developed a knack for identifying veteran pitchers on low-cost or minor league deals and helping them revive their careers. Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb, and Trent Thornton are all recent examples of that strategy paying off.

Until recently, it looked like Liam Hendriks could be the next success story. The two-time Reliever of the Year signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in May and impressed during his brief stint with Triple-A Iowa. Across four appearances, he didn’t allow a run, surrendered just one hit and one walk, and recorded at least one strikeout in every outing.

Despite those encouraging results, Hendriks is back on the free agent market after being released by the Cubs. The move was likely the result of an opt-out clause in his contract rather than a decision by the organization to move on, allowing the veteran reliever to explore other opportunities in search of a major league role.

Will the Chicago Cubs regret not giving an opportunity to Liam Hendricks?

Hendriks has already spent time in both the Cubs and Minnesota Twins organizations during the 2026 season, signing minor league deals with each club. That comes one year after he posted a 6.59 ERA with the Boston Red Sox, his most recent major league action since 2023. Notably, he missed time from 2023-2025 due to a combination of Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Tommy John surgery, and various other physical setbacks.

While re-entering free agency this close to the trade deadline doesn’t guarantee Hendriks an immediate major league opportunity, his market could pick up in the weeks ahead. By mid-to-late August, contending teams may look to add experienced bullpen depth before Sept. 1, ensuring he’s eligible for a potential postseason roster.

That said, if a team destined for October baseball doesn’t show interest in him now, his best course of action may be to re-sign with the Cubs on a minor league deal. Time will tell if that happens or not, but for now the Cubs should not regret not finding a spot for him on their 40-man as that possibility is not fully ruled out.

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The start of the second half for the Chicago Cubs has fans both looking forward and looking back. While the faithful anticipate an interesting second half of the 2026 season, this week gives them a chance to relive the memories of the 2016 World Series victory from a decade ago.

From a live episode of The Lovable Reunion podcast at the Chicago Theater to the christening of the new Champions Gate at Wrigley Field this weekend, the elusive title that was finally won 10 years ago is getting another round of pomp and circumstance. The 10th anniversary has been a big theme since the Cubs Convention in January; now the Cubs can put a nice bow on everything.

Tune in for live coverage of tomorrow's Champions Gate Dedication on Marquee.

Saturday, July 18
10:00 AM CT
https://t.co/BOp9DrBnf9 pic.twitter.com/aWt42IXOtU

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 17, 2026

Putting a final stamp on the 2016 Cubs

Let’s be real, the 2016 Cubs will live in fans’ hearts forever. Nobody should tell anyone to stop caring or remembering fondly about winning it all after 108 years. No matter what the Cubs did from 2017 to 2025, this season was going to be dedicated to that squad. With that said, this is the perfect opportunity for the Cubs franchise to have one last big hurrah for them.

Yes, the faces and names will remain as a humble reminder of their accomplishments. There will be moments when more members of that team get elected to the Cubs Hall of Fame. The gate will stand as an eternal reminder, as will the other memorabilia around the park. Surely there will be documentaries produced, like the many about the 2004 Boston Red Sox.

The Cubs franchise itself, however, can hold this celebration this weekend and feel they’ve completed their 2016 dedication sufficiently. The stories have been told, the standing ovations have been given, and the songs have been sung. Safe to say fans don’t want a 20th anniversary celebration in 10 years, looking back at the last time they won in 1985 Bears fashion. The next round of pomp and circumstance should be for a new championship team.

Celebrations will never truly end, and not saying they should. The franchise itself has done enough to honor them, and fans can let the memories do the talking from here on out.

The post Chicago Cubs: The “Champions Gate” is the best way to wrap 2016 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs need pitching. That’s certainly no secret.

More News: Chicago Cubs prospect named as ideal trade bait ahead of deadline

After all, this is a playoff-caliber team currently with four starting pitchers on the shelf and a handful of relievers out of commission, including their closer.

With the August 3 MLB trade deadline approaching—and the pennant race tightening up—there will be a mad dash to find teams operating as sellers, especially when it comes to pitching.

The Cubs will now be able to identify at least one team as a sure-thing seller—the New York Mets.

The Mets are officially sellers

More News: Chicago Cubs trade deadline aggression may hinge on one key factor

Per Chelsea Janes, SNY MLB Insider, the Mets front office has declared themselves “open for business:”

“A rival executive said the Mets informed their team that the sale is on, and that everyone but young stars Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean and the obvious, Juan Soto, is available. That doesn’t mean everyone will go. But it means the Mets will listen on just about everyone, which is in keeping with what people familiar with their thinking have signaled for weeks.

That the Mets are fielding calls already suggests they will be spreading out their sell-off over several weeks, rather than waiting until the week of the deadline when the market has settled and time constraints create a more frenetic process.”

For the Cubs, specifically, that means Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver, and Brooks Raley could make their way to the team’s shopping list.

Converted starter Holmes has been sidelined since mid-May with a fractured fibula, but is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon. Peralta, meanwhile, has had a down season so far. Both would be rentals (Holmes has a $12 million player option that he would most likely not exercise).

In the bullpen, both Weaver and Raley would be valuable additions as closer-capable reinforcement. Weaver is under contract through next season and Raley will be free agency-eligible at the end of this year.

Padres offering up Mason Miller?

All four Mets would be intriguing acquisitions, but arguably not as intriguing as San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller, who is reportedly being dangled as red-meat trade bait by a Padres team in the doldrums.

Per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale:

“The San Diego Padres looked like they could be a formidable threat to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now after the past month are talking about unloading All-Star closer Mason Miller and putting their high-priced stars on the market ….

One year, they’re trading away perhaps the finest prospect in baseball, shortstop Leo De Vries, for Athletics All-Star closer Mason Miller.

The next, they’re talking about trading him away.”

Miller to the Cubs is a real stretch, of course.

The Padres will be asking a fortune for the hard-throwing right-hander and the Cubs, even if they were inclined to trade away a collection of quality prospects for a closer, may not even have the high-end prospects to move the Padres front office.

Still, this certainly makes for some interesting debate. It could also move a trade deadline competitor or two towards the Padres and away from teams like the Mets, who offer more realistic trade options for the Cubs.

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The Chicago Cubs are staring down a tough situation. They may have to trade away a good chunk of their young talent in a bid to add some much-needed pitching by the August 3 MLB trade deadline.

More News: Chicago Cubs trade deadline aggression may hinge on one key factor

The team needs at least one sturdy, steady starting pitcher—but ideally two—to make up for the injuries that have put Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon, and Cade Horton on the shelf. They also need some reinforcement in the bullpen as closer Daniel Palencia remains on the IL, along with crucial setup men Hoby Milner and Hunter Harvey, among others.

The Cubs front office, if they’re serious about doing something in the postseason this year, may have no choice but to make some uncomfortable prospect trade decisions.

Pedro Ramirez, ideal trade bait?

More News: The Chicago Cubs have succeeded in spite of everything

High on the list of Chicago’s most coveted prospects is infielder Pedro Ramirez. As a matter of fact, some feel that the 22-year-old switch-hitter is the top trade bait in their entire organization.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN mentions Ramirez as an ideal candidate to be dealt for pitching:

“Like seemingly every contender, an impact starter and reliever could make the difference for the Cubs. Infielder Pedro Ramirez is a natural fit for a trade as he’s blocked in the infield. Chicago has major league talent available to move.”

Ramirez is an attractive trade piece for several reasons. Many believe that he’s already major league-ready and could contribute to a big league squad immediately. His ability to play multiple positions—second base, third base, and now some corner outfield—gives him added value. He’s also regarded as a player with maturity beyond his years and a high baseball IQ.

Currently, he’s hitting .246 with one home run and seven RBIs in very limited play with the major league Cubs. At Triple-A Iowa, he hit .312 with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs in 43 games while dazzling with the glove.

Turning heads, but stuck behind veterans

The young talent turned heads with his performance in spring training, winning over veterans and impressing coaches. As a matter of fact, manager Craig Counsell flat-out said that he would’ve been just fine with Ramirez being brought up to the bigs right from Opening Day.

“I wouldn’t have hesitated out of spring training. We told him that,” Counsell said.

“He had a wonderful spring. He was the player that the other players talked about. There’s always that guy in spring training.”

“He’s a big-leaguer,” Counsell added. “He’s going to be a good big-leaguer. He’s got a really good head on his shoulders, really good baseball intelligence. It’s great to see him off to a good start and really taking another step.”

The problem is that the Cubs already have Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman under long-term contracts at second and third. They also have 2023 no. 1 draft pick Matt Shaw playing the super sub role off the bench, essentially doing what Ramirez would be tasked with doing on this team.

So, it would certainly make sense to move Ramirez at the trade deadline, if they don’t end up moving Shaw.

Things should get interesting as August 3 approaches.

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The Chicago Cubs are set to begin the second half of the season five games behind the first place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central Division and a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for the top NL Wild Card spot.

More News: The Chicago Cubs have succeeded in spite of everything

That’s not a bad place to be for a team withstanding an unprecedented wave of injuries that has decimated both the starting rotation and bullpen.

For many, the August 3 MLB trade deadline represents a “the cavalry is coming” target date for the team, as they could reinforce a battered and strained staff—currently ranked 21st in team ERA—with some much-needed pitching pickups.

But there’s no guarantee on how many impact arms will actually be available at the deadline in what looks to be a tight pennant race. More importantly, there’s no guarantee on how aggressive the Cubs will actually be as the deadline approaches.

Questions regarding Cubs deadline aggression

More News: Former Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein talks importance of trade deadline impact

According to many media analysts—based off the words of Cubs president Jed Hoyer himself—the team’s level of deadline aggression will depend heavily on how well the team does in the next 2 ½ weeks as they target an important bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:

“The Chicago Cubs are 21st [in team ERA], and remain in dire need of pitching help in all forms. Some might come from the injured list (righty starters Jameson Taillon and Edward Cabrera, closer Daniel Palencia, righty reliever Phil Maton). Some almost certainly will need to come from trades, and lefty David Peterson was a start.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer perhaps tipped his hand last month on how aggressively he might act at the deadline, saying a first-round bye was critical to a team’s odds of winning the World Series. The Cubs are five games back for the second NL bye, currently held by their division rival, the Brewers. They need to narrow that gap in the next 2 1/2 weeks.”

A crucial stretch is upcoming

And, yeah, Hoyer has also directly said that how well the team does in this next stretch will determine his trade deadline moves.

“It has been a really up-and-down season,” Hoyer told The Athletic earlier this month. “There’s no reason to think that’s the way the rest of the season is going to go. It could go that way, or we could just proceed to level things out, and I hope we do. But, yeah, this is a really important stretch. The market will dictate a lot of those things. But, of course, our play is going to dictate a level of aggressiveness.”

“You have to look at how your team is playing,” Hoyer added, “how you are relative to .500. How are your underlying numbers? How is your health? You have to understand your own team.”

In other words, Chicago won’t be spending the trade capital needed to bring in top-tier pitching at the deadline unless Hoyer and company feel that the team has an edge coming into the postseason.

This mindset may leave Cubs fans once again disappointed, as they were last season, in the team’s trade deadline haul in support of a squad that has shown itself to have the spark of being something special.

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Last off-season, the Chicago Cubs saw a few members of their elite bullpen depart in free agency, while initially bringing back only Caleb Thielbar on a one year, $4.0 million deal. Meanwhile, Drew Pomeranz, who is now back in the organization, originally signed a deal with the Los Angeles Angels whereas Brad Keller got a massive two year, $22.0 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

For Keller, he capitalized on this large deal by breaking out with Chicago in 2025. He went from an unexpected roster addition to a high-leverage arm, where over 68 outings he recorded 25 holds, three saves, and a 2.07 ERA. This was a drastic improvement compared to his career numbers, which consisted of an ERA over 4.00 at that time.

Unfortunately, his time in Philadelphia may already be over after just 32 games and 31.1 innings pitched as he has suffered a UCL tear. Keller is getting a second opinion on the matter, but if he undergoes surgery he will miss the remainder of this season and potentially all of the 2027 season.

The Chicago Cubs dodged a $22 million bullet by not re-signing Brad Keller

While the Cubs did make a notable addition to their bullpen last offseason by signing Phil Maton to a two-year, $14.5 million contract, they were ultimately wise not to match the Phillies’ commitment to Keller. Philadelphia remains on the hook for the $22 million guaranteed in his deal, regardless of whether he throws another pitch for their organization.

Instead, Chicago allocated its resources more efficiently, such as signing Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb while taking fliers on guys like Trent Thorton, who is now pitching in the big leagues after originally signing a minor league deal with the club. That is all to say that in hindsight, passing on Keller looks like one of the smarter decisions the organization made last offseason.

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The Chicago Cubs are 54-42 on the season as the second half is about to begin. Indeed, the first half of the season saw Chicago go through quite the roller coaster. From a strong start and two different 10-game winning streaks to a 10-game losing streak and a month without a series win, the Cubs have been all over the place in 2026.

It is no coincidence, too, that their ebbs and flows have come as their pitching staff has had to overcome injury after injury after injury. Multiple Cubs starters are out for the year, and even more have done more than one stint on the injured list already. Their bullpen has not been much healthier.

If Chicago is going to keep pace in the division, they need pitching.

Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Aaron Civale is available again

Earlier today, it was reported that former Cubs pitcher Aaron Civale has been designated for assignment by the Athletics:

Athletics To Designate Aaron Civale For Assignment https://t.co/7jn3lZduUq pic.twitter.com/JApZJXLOUV

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) July 16, 2026

So far in 2026, Civale has appeared in 16 games (15 starts) and is 5-7 with a 5.42 ERA.

Obviously, these numbers are not great, and they would not necessarily give any Cubs fan confidence that adding him would do much good for the team.

It is worth considering, though, that Civale was in a similar circumstance last year, and Chicago was able to take advantage of it.

The long-time veteran started the year with Milwaukee Brewers in 2025. After being told they were going to move him to the bullpen ahead of promoting Jacob Misiorowski, Civale demanded a trade. As a result, the Brewers sent him to the Chicago White Sox for Andrew Vaughn.

At the time of the trade, Civale was 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA. After the trade, he was downright awful for the White Sox, going 2-7 with a 5.37 ERA.

When the South Side team designated for assignment late in the year, the Cubs added him. Instead of inserting him into their starting rotation, they brought him out of the bullpen. He was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five appearances with the North Side team.

At this point, the Cubs need healthy arms in both the starting rotation and bullpen. Civale can do both. His numbers as a starter have not been great, but perhaps the chance to pitch for a contender, even out of the bullpen, would appeal to him.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs urged to avoid this tempting trade target
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• Cubs insider apologizes to executives, per report

For More Chicago Sports

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The Chicago Cubs have taken blow after blow this season. They’ve taken so many gut punches that nobody would’ve blamed them if they just tossed in the towel on an ill-fated 2026 in hopes of a better 2027.

More News: Former Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein talks importance of trade deadline impact

It’s hard to imagine a bigger blow than losing four starters from your rotation, your closer, and a handful of relievers from your bullpen. That’s what the Cubs have suffered through in this first half of 2026.

Yet, the team is headed into the other side of the All-Star break twelve games above .500 and in the top NL Wild Card spot.

Seriously—given all the losses and the fact that the pitching staff is currently manned by emergency fill-ins and castoffs from other teams—this shouldn’t be happening.

Winning against the odds

More News: Chicago Cubs urged to avoid this temping trade target

Aldo Soto, blogger at Sports Mockery, recently pointed this out in a Tweet which sums things up pretty nicely:

The Cubs at the All-Star break:
23rd in rotation ERA
16th in bullpen ERA
6th fewest quality starts
4th most blown saves

Meanwhile, over 35 games, they had baseball’s 3rd-worst offense.

And yet they have the 5th best record in MLB.”

Throwing in the fact that even the offense has been spotty and inconsistent is important.

All of this begs the question of how Chicago is doing this.

To be honest, the biggest factor motoring this Cubs team seems to be gumption and true grit. To the credit of Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, this team has been put together with character in mind—and it shows.

True Grit

“I’m proud of how hard it was for us and how much adversity was thrown our way,” Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong told reporters prior to the All-Star break. “For how beat up we were, for how many guys have cycled through here…this was a friggin’ team effort, this first half.”

This truly has been a no-quit squad, as their 10 walk-off wins this season proves. But even earlier in the year, Chicago’s moxie was plainly evident.

“I never saw our guys waver or falter today,” pitcher Jameson Taillon told media after a crazy come-from-behind victory back in April. “It would have been easy going down 5-0 and just kind of be like ‘welp, let’s go on the road we got swept’, it was just a really cool vibe and energy today where I thought everyone was picking each other up, guys passing the baton to each other as the game went.”

Under manager Craig Counsell, the team has adopted a next-man-up mindset in dealing with setbacks and injuries. When one Cub falls, another one steps up to fill the gap. And they’ve been doing this all year.

There’s also an elite defense helping the team along, of course, and enough offense to always be dangerous. Plus, Crow-Armstrong has beeen almost obscene in his greatness, especially the last two months or so.

But resiliency is the defining characteristic of this team.

Hopefully, the front office can add some pitching depth by the August 3 trade deadline to provide some support for the push to the postseason.

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