Former MLB GM has outlandish Cubs trade deadline plan

The Chicago Cubs are officially nine games below .500 with less than a month until the July 30 MLB trade deadline. Since inking Craig Counsell to the largest managerial contract in league history, the expectations have been lofty in Chicago. The Cubs were supposed to break through this season after narrowly missing the 2023 playoffs.

Instead, Chicago has taken a meaningful step back. The offense still lacks potency, especially in the middle of the lineup, and bullpen woes are prevalent. Counsell was supposed to expertly navigate matchups and get the most out of Chicago's pitching staff, but instead, there is a palpable lack of trust — a lack of faith — in the Cubs' relievers. It's hard to blame him.

Sitting dead last in the NL Central and 5.5 games out of the third NL Wild Card spot, one would naturally expect the Cubs to trade off veterans this month and restock the farm system. Cody Bellinger should be back next season and Chicago can readjust accordingly, potentially taking the 'big leap' in 2025 after Jed Hoyer gets another crack at free agency.

But, according to former GM and current The Athletic columnist Jim Bowden, that is not the expectation. In fact, he believes Chicago will address key weaknesses if the opportunity presents itself.

"The Cubs are 5 1/2 games out of the National League’s third wild-card spot and if they stay about that close, I doubt they sell at the trade deadline. In fact, if they have an opportunity to improve the bullpen, upgrade offensively at catcher and add a middle-of-the-order bat, I think they will. At the same time, I do not see a scenario in which they will trade any of their top-tier prospects for a short-term gain. The Cubs front office has a good feel of where the team is right now and building for 2025 and beyond is more likely than any “rental” type of move."

Oh, well. The Cubs aren't bold enough to spend with the league's heavy hitters, but the front office may be too delusional to kick the can down the road when contention is out of reach. This is a classic Cubs conundrum, and yet another indictment on Hoyer's deeply imperfect team-building philosophy.

Cubs could buy at the trade deadline despite poor record

Well, it could be worse, Chicago fans. At least Bowden hedges a little bit. He believes Chicago will buy with an eye toward contending in 2025, rather than making rash rentals in an ill-fated attempt to win big this season. There is at least some merit to that strategy. The Cubs are not bottom-dwelling like the cross-town White Sox, for example. If there's a chance to add a needle-mover who sticks around beyond 2024, then why not?

The 2025 free agency class carries major upside for the Cubs. It's hard to imagine Chicago shelling out enough dough to pry Juan Soto out of New York, but Pete Alonso feels like a realistic target (the Mets aren't sellers, that much is certain). If the Cubs are willing to up the ante and dish out a few major contracts next winter, that would make an aggressive trade deadline more palatable.

It's hard to put absolute faith in the Cubs' front office, though. Hoyer deserves credit for winning the Shota Imanaga sweepstakes, but the Bellinger contract hasn't aged perfectly, nor has their investment in Dansby Swanson. The Cubs don't tend to spend at the level of other big-market powerhouses, and when they do, it's not always for the right pieces.

We can only wait and see at this point. Chicago has one of the best farm systems in baseball, so there's plenty of ammo to improve the roster in a short period of time. That isn't necessarily the right path forward, though. Mayhap the Cubs are better off strengthening the farm system and punting this season like a bad memory.