With the 2026 MLB trade deadline under four weeks away, the market is still in its early stages. Clubs are tied up with the amateur draft on July 11-12 for now, but once that passes, the deadline chatter should turn into real movement.
For Houston, the outline is already getting clearer. Astros GM Dana Brown told The Athletic the club is looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder at the deadline, and the team is also open to bringing in a right-handed reliever.
That need on the left side is pretty stark: Houston has only 906 plate appearances from left-handed hitters this season, the fewest in baseball, and Yordan Alvarez is responsible for 402 of them. The rest have come from a mix of journeymen and bench players.
The Astros’ approach is a little ironic, too, considering what they did right before spring training. They sent lefty-hitting outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Blue Jays for lefty-hitting outfielder Joey Loperfido in what was clearly a cost-cutting move, since Sánchez is owed $6.8 million in 2026 while Loperfido is making the league minimum. Sánchez has been productive in Toronto, hitting .274/.316/.437, while Loperfido has spent much of the year injured and hasn’t been effective when he has been on the field.
Chicago’s situation is less about one clean target and more about sheer survival. Cubs manager Craig Counsell told The Athletic he doesn’t view starter or reliever as the main distinction at the deadline; to him, the need is simply pitching.
That makes sense given the state of the staff. Chicago currently has 13 pitchers on the injured list:
Ben Brown (neck), Hunter Harvey (triceps), Edward Cabrera (hamstring), Porter Hodge (elbow), Cade Horton (elbow), Riley Martin (elbow), Justin Steele (elbow), Phil Maton (knee), Jameson Taillon (hamstring), Shelby Miller (elbow), Hoby Milner (appendectomy), Daniel Palencia (elbow), and Ethan Roberts (forearm).
Taillon offered a small step forward Sunday, throwing 3 ⅓ innings and 45 pitches in a minor-league rehab start. He’s expected to make one more rehab outing this week before rejoining the rotation after the All-Star break.
Even then, he’ll likely be on a limited pitch count at first. But with so many arms out, the Cubs would still take 60 or so pitches from Taillon over what they’re currently rolling out.
In Other News...
Cubs Deadline Rumors Just Took A Very Familiar Turn
The Tigers have put a pair of familiar deadline names on the board in Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, and the Cubs are once again being mentioned in the mix as the market starts to sort itself out. For Chicago, the appeal is obvious: rotation help is hard to find in late July, and Detroits willingness to listen gives the Cubs another avenue to explore if they decide the staff needs a boost.
What makes this one worth watching is how the Cubs view their place in the National League Central as the deadline gets closer. If theyre hanging around the Brewers, the front office could be pushed toward a more aggressive approach, but the financial side matters too, and that may shape how far they go in chasing pitching help from Detroit. [Read more 🡒]
Major Pirates Injury May Have Just Changed Everything For Cubs
The Pirates have been forced to absorb another hit in a season already shaped by injuries, and it comes at a moment when every roster decision carries extra weight. Their young shortstop has been one of the more important bats in the lineup, giving Pittsburgh a boost as it has stayed in the mix longer than many expected.
For the Cubs, the timing matters because the trade deadline is never just about who buys and who sells, but how aggressively a division rival feels it needs to respond. If Pittsburgh is suddenly less inclined to push chips in, Chicago could find one more competitor easing off the gas at exactly the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Linked To The Deadline Arm Their Rotation Desperately Needs
The Cubs search for rotation help has pushed them toward the trade market, and Freddy Peralta has emerged as a name worth watching. According to a report from The Athletics Will Sammon, Chicago has interest in the right-handed starter as it looks to reinforce a staff hit by injuries, and Peraltas expiring contract makes him the kind of deadline arm teams can actually move for in July.
There is also a familiar thread here for Craig Counsell, who spent six seasons with Peralta in Milwaukee and knows exactly what the starter can bring when he is right. The question for the Cubs is whether that comfort level, plus the immediate need on the mound, is enough to make Peralta a realistic target as the deadline chatter starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]