Not too much has gone right for the Chicago Cubs since the trade deadline. All-Star Kyle Tucker is in a prolonged slump, which led Craig Counsell to give him multiple days off to "reset." Chicago's lone rotation upgrade at the deadline, RHP Michael Soroka, is hurt. The impact of their other big additions, IF/OF Willi Castro and LHP Taylor Rogers, has been muted. Even Pete Crow-Armstrong, once a legitimate MVP candidate, has seen his production plummet.
Jed Hoyer recently signed an extension, so he's not on the hot seat. But maybe he should be? This season represents Chicago's best chance to win the World Series in years. There is significant talent in the lineup and Counsell is known for his ability to pull the strings with his pitching staff. And yet, with Tucker only under lock and key for one season, Hoyer avoided major expenses at the deadline. The rotation is shorthanded. The bullpen is a mess. And right now, his stars aren't picking up the slack.
Chicago has fallen nine games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central. Odds are we still see the Cubs in a Wild Card slot, but this season feels destined to end in disappointment. That is, unless Hoyer can meaningfully move the needle on the waiver wire. It's a long shot — but it's Chicago's best remaining hope.
Here are a few idealistic targets for Chicago in the weeks ahead as non-contending teams clean house.
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RHP Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Angels
Kenley Jansen continues to apace as one of the most steadfast closers in MLB. At 37 years old, the longtime Dodger returned to L.A. this season, now as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. He has a 2.68 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, notching 47 strikeouts in 47.0 innings. He has 23 saves under his belt.
Jansen has regressed from the exceptional heights of his prime, but he remains incredibly dependable in high-leverage situations. Aside from Daniel Palencia, who has taken well to the closing role, this Cubs bullpen leaves much to be desired. Chicago has tried and failed to extract value from aging relievers, such as Héctor Neris and Ryan Pressly, in recent years. Jansen actually has enough left in the tank to render an impact.
He probably isn't the Cubs' closer, but Jansen is a tremendous setup option in the seventh or eighth inning of tight ballgames. He brings a ton of postseason experience to the table, too. A peak under the hood reveals a few concerning metrics — Jansen ranks near the bottom of MLB in average exit velocity and his 'expected' ERA of 3.68 suggests a lot of luck — but by and large, he is still a proficient late-relief option on the basis of his bendy cutter.
LHP Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels
The Angels inked Tyler Anderson to a three-year, $39 million contract in 2023 after an All-Star campaign with the Dodgers. He has mostly rewarded that investment, including another All-Star bid in 2024. The 35-year-old has seen his production decline this season, but he's still a durable southpaw who can eat innings over the final month and change of the regular season, and maybe even pick up a start or two in October.
Anderson has a 4.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 98 strikeouts in 126.1 innings this season. He has allowed the most home runs in the American League, so not all the numbers paint a friendly portait. But this is where the Cubs are at. No team is letting a Cy Young candidate off the hook in late August. The Cubs missed their chance to trade for a Dylan Cease or a Mitch Keller. Their consolation is a time-proven vet who might be good enough.
Despite the gaudy home run number (27), Anderson generates a ton of soft contact, alternating primarily between a four-seam fastball, cutter and changeup. If he can dial it up a bit in a more competitive environment, the Cubs could unlock their rotation down the stretch. Anderson still has gas in the tank and he brings ample pedigree to a Chicago rotation that has spent most of this season teetering on the brink. He probably transitions to the bullpen come October, but that's not a terrible outcome for the Cubs.
RHP Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are playing better of late, but the climb to postseason relevance remains steep, if not impossible. If the Braves hit a snag and decide to admit defeat, Raisel Iglesias has the potential to become the most sought-after waiver wire candidate in MLB.
The surface-level numbers this season aren't great — 4.01 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 57 strikeouts in 51.2 innings — but Iglesias has been lights-out in recent weeks after a slow start to the campaign. Over his last 11 appearances, Iglesias has allowed five hits and zero runs. He has 11 K's in 11.0 innings. The 35-year-old looks like he did last season: like one of the very best closers in MLB.
Chciago could use another lights-out option next to Palencia at the back of the bullpen. The odds of netting both Jansen and Iglesias are slim, but if Chicago is forced to choose, Iglesias obviously takes precedent. He's not a long-term option, but Iglesias has pushed into his mid-30s with impressive durability and productivity. His consistency is probably waning, but when Iglesias is on, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more devastating reliever. This would be a home run for Chicago.