Cubs: 5 players who won't be on the roster by August 1

Cubs: 5 players who won’t be on the roster by August 1

Jun 7, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs manager David Ross (3) and Chicago Cubs bench coach Andy Green (29) look on from the dugout during the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /

1 of 5

Jun 27, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) throws the ball against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

The Cubs have found themselves in a tough spot as a front office. This situation has left a lor of their roster questioning their job security.

The Chicago Cubs have found themselves seven games back in the struggling NL Central. At one point in the last month, they were one of the hottest teams in the MLB, threatening to take over the NL Central. But they’ve cooled off since then, dropping seven of their last ten games. This stretch of cold has completely shifted their focus from being potential buyers to being sellers at the deadline.

The Cubs need to take this season to kickstart their rebuild again. There are a few crucial things to do when rebuilding. The Cubs need to take this deadline to stack up prospects, trade expiring contracts and get big contracts off their books.

The Cubs need to kickstart their rebuild by getting Jameson Taillon out of Chicago

One thing the Cubs need to do is to get rid of their overpaid contracts. Their biggest overpaid player on the roster is their starter, Jameson Taillon who’s making $18 million in 2024, 2025 and 2026. He’s being paid that much money while having a 2-6 record, a 1.5 WHIP and an ERA near 7.0. This kind of contract could completely handicap the Cubs with future free agents.

There is no way to get Taillon off their books without trading him. A DFA is almost completely out of the picture because they would be forced to eat his entire contract. A Taillon trade would likely result in the Cubs having to package prospects or eat some of his contract in order to get rid of him, but it is crucial for the Cubs to do so. They won’t be able to play to their potential over the next few seasons with their payroll being handicapped by such a huge contract to a plyer with a negative WAR.

This trade may not happen at the deadline. It may not happen in the offseason. But the Cubs will need to trade Taillon and kickstart their rebuild sooner rather than later, even if that means attaching a top 30 prospect to the deal to remove his burden on the payroll.