A Cubs-Blue Jays trade to turn Chicago's season back around

The Chicago Cubs got off to a great start to 2024, especially given the way the rest of the NL Central was moving. For awhile, the Cardinals, Reds and Pirates looked dead. The Brewers looked average at best. The division was theirs for the taking.

Now, the Reds and Pirates are still struggling. But the Brewers and Cardinals appear filled with life and Milwaukee is threatening to run away with the division. Chicago has sputtered as of late, making it even easier for the Brewers to run away with it.

But the Cubs need to climb back on their horse and attack the trade market with some serious urgency. They could begin in Toronto, where the Blue Jays will likely be shopping their expiring contracts at the deadline.

A Cubs-Blue Jays trade that helps turn Chicago's season back in the right direction

The Cubs have more holes than just the holes in their pitching. Their lineup has been a big reason for the collapse over the last few weeks, but they could always use another reliable pitcher.

Their rotation has been good this year, especially recently, but they don't have a proven history of being dominant. They could always use more depth. Enter the expiring contract of the Blue Jays' Yusei Kikuchi.

Kikuchi has been impressive this year, led by his newly revamped curveball. He currently holds a modest 3.66 ERA across 12 starts in 2024.

For the Cubs to acquire him, it would likely take two pitching prospects, one long term and one short term. That's what they could offer in Drew Gray and Porter Hodge.

Hodge, a member of the major league roster, would be pushed out of the bullpen if this trade happened anyway. Acquiring Kikuchi would move Ben Brown back to Chicago's bullpen, forcing Hodge to Triple-A, so adding him in the trade makes sense. He's a young right handed arm with plenty of potential for the Blue Jays.

Drew Gray is the real piece of value in this deal. Gray has three above-average pitch offerings, his fastball, slider and curveball. He is some command issues away from being a real threat to fly up the minor leagues. His command issues are his only limiting factor, albeit a big factor, walking 28 batters in 29.1 innings this year.

The Cubs could take this risk, losing Hodge and Gray, to acquire another stable lefty in their rotation. It would create a more consistent and stable outlook down the rest of the season, giving the Cubs a reliable arm to trot out to the mound in every single game, even if one of them happen to go down. Starter isn't their biggest concern, but this trade would definitely help both sides.