The Chicago Cubs have to make an addition to the starting rotation at the trade deadline and depending on how desperate Jed Hoyer feels it could be a blockbuster move. Although there aren't several aces to choose from the Cubs have plenty of options in the trade market to address their need either at the top of their rotation or at the back-end of the starting rotation.
ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel released an updated list of the top-50 trade candidates and while Eugenio Suarez would be an exceptional acquisition for the Cubs the team's top priority remains starting pitching. The Cubs have been linked to every top starter that's either available or might be available at the trade deadline. Here are the five best starters the Cubs can target ranked by cost.
5. Seth Lugo - Kansas City Royals
Veteran right-hander Seth Lugo may not be the ace Cubs' fans want at the trade deadline, but the 35-year-old continues to be a durable and consistent starter. His production would certainly be welcomed in the starting rotation that is currently without a No. 5 starter. Colin Rea has pitched above his expectations, but the Cubs know better than to count on Rea to keep up his current pace.
Lugo has a 2.94 ERA in 18 starts so far this season with the Kansas City Royals. In 2024, the seasoned pitcher led MLB with 33 starts and was second in innings pitched at 206.2. The right-hander has a strong track record on the mound dating back to the beginning of the 2023 season with the San Diego Padres. Since returning to a starter role Lugo has recorded a 3.17 ERA, which ranks No. 4 among all qualified starting pitchers.
However, Lugo's contract may work in favor of the Cubs and ultimately help drive the cost down. On the surface Lugo comes with control through 2026, but in reality the pitcher holds the decision. Lugo signed a three-year, $45 million contract entering the 2024 season, but the third year of his deal is a player option. If Lugo ends the year healthy and doesn't completely fall off a cliff, then he'll most likely opt-out and become a free agent.
So, Lugo will be treated as a rental by interested teams at the trade deadline and in recent history teams have shied away from trading top-100 prospects for rental players.
4. Mitch Keller - Pittsburgh Pirates
The Cubs may have to pay a division-rival tax if they trade for Mitch Keller, but there's no doubt Chicago has been kicking the tires on a potential deal for a while. The Cubs have been linked to Keller since early June, but the price has definitely increased thanks to his performance during the past month.
Going back to June 10, Keller has a 2.32 ERA in seven starts with a 45.7 ground ball rate in 42.2 innings. Keller's value hasn't been this high since he signed a five-year, $77 million extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates heading into the 2024 season. The 29-year-old is having the best season of his career, recently lowering his ERA to 3.48 prior to the All-Star break.
Keller is signed through 2028, but he's still owed $54.5 million over the next three seasons. Still, with several teams eyeing Keller at the trade deadline the Cubs may have to overpay if they really want the Pirates to send him to a team in the same division.
3. Edward Cabrera - Miami Marlins
Sandy Alcantara was once the top starting pitcher from the Miami Marlins who was linked to the Cubs, but the focus has turned to his younger counterpart Edward Cabrera. After years of underperforming and missing time with injury, Cabrera has pitched to his former top-100 prospect potential in 2025, which has gotten him on the Cubs' radar.
Cabrera had a rough outing his last time out against the Baltimore Orioles as the righty allowed four earned runs in four innings of work. Yet, the 27-year-old was still able to flash his plus stuff, striking out six and walking none. Cabrera has a 3.61 ERA in 16 starts this year and had an 11-starts stretch from May through early July, when he posted a 2.11 ERA with a 25.3 K% and 8.0 BB% in 59.2 innings.
The Marlins can always hold out for a bigger trade package, considering Cabrera still has three more years of arbitration left before he reaches free agency. That's certainly a plus for any team pursuing Cabrera, cheap, under control through 2028, and he's finally putting things together. However, his price could be hurt by the fact that Cabrera has not pitched more than 100 innings in any single season during his MLB career.
In addition to missing two months in 2024 because of a right shoulder impingement Cabrera needed an MRI after his last start after experiencing soreness in his right elbow. The injury concerns may balance out the cost in negotiations between the Cubs and Marlins.
2. Kris Bubic - Kansas City Royals
Left-handed starting pitcher Kris Bubic has a limited track record of success, but he's been elite in 2025. Bubic has a 2.38 ERA, ranking sixth in MLB and fourth in the American League among starting pitchers. Out of his 19 starts in 2025, Bubic has only allowed more than three earned runs twice.
Bubic returned from Tommy John surgery in 2024, but instead of sliding him back into the starting rotation the Kansas City Royals decided to limit his innings and used him as a reliever. Bubic was excellent out of the bullpen, striking out 39 batters in 30.1 innings, while posting a 2.67 ERA in 27 appearances. He also pitched well in the postseson, only allowing one run in 4.2 innings.
The Royals have Bubic under team control through 2026, so the Cubs will have to offer up a decent-sized haul to pry him away from Kansas City at the trade deadline. He'd definitely be a great fit with the Cubs as Bubic has only allowed three home runs in 113.2 innings this season. His 47.4 ground ball rate would also be ideal with the great defensive infield that the Cubs feature.
Bubic will turn 28 in August. His 2025 salary is also extremely affordable at $3 million.
1. Joe Ryan - Minnesota Twins
Joe Ryan wasn't on ESPN's list, but if he was he'd be No. 1. The 29-year-old is fresh off his first All-Star selection, Ryan is exactly the type of pitcher the Cubs have been targeting since the offseason.
Unfortunately, Ryan will also cost the most at this year's trade deadline. Not only does he come with a low salary of $3 million in 2025, but the right-handed starter is under team control for two more full seasons before he becomes a free agent after 2027. Ryan has a 2.63 ERA in 116.1 innings with the Minnesota Twins, who could be listening to offers.
Yet, as Jon Heyman puts it, any team calling for Ryan will have to blow the Twins away.
As of today, the Twins are now seriously listening on their rental players, including Coulombe, Bader and Castro. While they will listen on All-Star starter Joe Ryan and star closer Jhoan Duran they’d have to be blown away, especially for Ryan.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 22, 2025
If you're the Cubs that potentially means trading away two of your top-five prospects plus more. Owen Caissie, Jefferson Rojas and Jaxon Wiggins may have the most value at this point in the Cubs' farm system and those are the names that will likely be discussed if Hoyer engages in serious talks with the Twins for Ryan.
Since making his MLB debut in 2021, Ryan has a 3.67 ERA in 104 games. Even in his down 2023 season, when Ryan ended the year with a 4.51 ERA in 29 starts, the right-hander struck out 197 batters in 161.2 innings. His 29.3 K% ranked fifth-best in MLB.
If the Cubs are ultra aggressive, then Ryan may end up being their top trade deadline target.