With less than a week to go until the MLB trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs are in a heavyweight slugfest with the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central. With rumors running rampant about which players may or may not be available before July 31, the Cubs have their shopping list and are waiting for the perfect time to strike a deal.
A popular rumor has centered on Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez being shipped to Chicago to solidify an already stacked lineup, with rookie Matt Shaw struggling to find his footing in the Majors just yet. In theory, adding Suarez, along with his 36 HRs and 86 RBI, could give the Cubs the best lineup in baseball, eturning their one remaining weak point into another strength.
Further fueling these rumors are the recent acquisitions made by the Seattle Mariners for Josh Naylor and, more importantly, the New York Yankees for Ryan McMahon. Both teams were considered frontrunners in the Suarez sweepstakes. Seattle may still be in play, but you can cross the Yankees off the board for sure.
It isn't as if this wouldn't be a strong addition for Chicago, who are currently second in MLB with 5.26 runs per game. But adding even more pop to the lineup isn't as necessary as adding more depth to the team's starting rotation: Right now, the Cubs have Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd spearheading a group that has dealt with a string of injuries throughout this season.
Rookie Cade Horton has been up and down, and likely not someone the Cubs look to turn the ball over to at this point if the postseason started today. Colin Rea got off to a surprisingly strong start but has an underwhelming 5.22 ERA in his last 11 starts. He has sprinkled a few good games in between rough outings, but the point is that you aren't sure which version of Rea you're going to get whenever he steps on the mound.
The Cubs need to add someone with a proven track record of excelling throughout a whole season, and though everyone will be after the best starters available, president Jed Hoyer must be ready to pull from his surplus of top prospects to get the proper deals done.
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Joe Ryan and Seth Lugo headline the most intriguing options available for Cubs
Joe Ryan is the ace of the Minnesota Twins' pitching staff, and with two more years of team-friendly arbitration ahead of him, it's going to take a lot to haul him away. However, this is the player you do it for if you're the Cubs: Ryan helps keep Chicago well under the luxury tax moving forward, and they have stated they want to acquire players that can help both now and in the future.
You're likely looking at trading top outfielder prospect Owen Caissie and another top-100 talnet, plus some lower-level guys at least, to get him. This move, however, makes the Cubs instant contenders for the next several years, as next year's team will still boast a top-tier rotation once Justin Steele returns. Ryan carries a 2.63 ERA (3.13 FIP) through the first four months of the 2025 campaign.
And that's not the end of Hoyer's wish list. After hurling six innings of two-run ball against the Cubs mere days ago, Seth Lugo wound up lowering his ERA to 2.95. Since 2021, Lugo has had a dominant 3.20 ERA, while eclipsing 200 innings last season. Lugo comes with a player option for 2026 that he may or may not exercise, but in the meantime, he will likely be the most sought-after starting pitcher on the market.
Other notable names on the market include Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and an assortment of others. The Cubs need to strike and add one of either Ryan or Lugo, plus another guy from the list above. Moving the needle forward is the top priority. Still, sometimes it's also essential to acquire depth to ensure you don't move the needle back if someone underperforms or suffers an injury. In closing, adding a bat is nice, but not the team's top need. Expect the Cubs to be after starting pitching more than anything else at the trade deadline.