With a thin free-agent market and the possibility of a work stoppage after December 1, November could turn into a busy trade month. That alone makes the Cubs worth watching, especially with so many spots to fill on their roster. They also enter the offseason with more than $100 million coming off the books, which gives them a chance to help a team unload salary if the right deal shows up.
That’s the kind of setup that can turn an ordinary trade season into something wild. If baseball’s payroll landscape shifts under a new CBA and a salary cap enters the picture, some clubs may decide they need to cut costs fast. In that scenario, Chicago could position itself as the team willing to absorb an expensive contract in exchange for real talent.
Here are four teams the Cubs could theoretically help by taking on a star with a hefty price tag - though it’s worth stressing that even for players who have been discussed in trade rumors, the odds of a deal actually happening are still low.
The Phillies are one obvious name to watch. Bryce Harper is owed $125.69 million through the 2031 season, and Philadelphia’s roster already carries several large contracts. Add in the tension that has developed between Harper and the front office over the past year, and the idea of him landing on the trade block doesn’t feel out of nowhere.
Atlanta presents another intriguing possibility with Ronald Acuña Jr. He has a $17 million club option for 2027 and 2028, which adds up to $34 million over the next two seasons.
There has been speculation that the Braves could move him after his disappearing act in the playoffs. If he were actually available, the Cubs would probably have interest in betting on a return to form for one of the sport’s most electric players.
The catch, of course, is that Atlanta would almost certainly ask for a massive return.
Then there’s the Reds and Hunter Greene. Cincinnati may be eager to move his salary, and he is owed over $31 million through 2028, with a $21 million club option for 2029.
The surgery piece matters here too, since he likely misses all of 2027 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. That could soften the trade cost, particularly if Chicago is absorbing most of the money.
It’s a gamble, but if Greene is healthy by 2028 - another big if - it could fit the kind of damaged-goods bet Jed Hoyer has shown a taste for.
Miami is the final team in the mix, with Sandy Alcantara carrying a $21 million obligation for 2027.
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Amaya is arbitration-eligible and projected to make $1.7 million, and the Cubs are expected to keep him in the mix for 2027. Still, the possible return of Carson Kelly could complicate the picture, especially with prospect Owen Ayers also pushing into the conversation. For now, Amaya still looks like part of the plan, but the competition around him is enough to keep trade talk and role uncertainty hanging over the position. [Read more 🡒]
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Banners role in Baltimore gives him a broad hand in shaping how the organization functions beyond the major league roster, which makes this a move worth watching from the Cubs side as well. Chicago has seen its own front office talent draw outside interest before, and whenever someone with Banners background lands a bigger chair elsewhere, it tends to say as much about the industrys view of the Cubs operation as it does about the team making the hire. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Can't Ignore The Risk In A Michael Soroka Reunion
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Still, any reunion comes with the same caution flags that followed him before. Soroka has dealt with recurring health problems, including shoulder inflammation, and the limited workload hes been able to sustain is the real issue hanging over any pursuit. Chicago can appreciate the value of a short-term gamble, but the Cubs also have to decide whether a pitcher with that kind of medical history is worth the risk when the offseason offers more reliable ways to build out the staff. [Read more 🡒]