The Chicago Cubs still had not made a move on Monday, but the Texas Rangers’ shifting approach could give Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins a new path to work with as the deadline clock keeps ticking.
The Cubs are still chasing a controllable starting pitcher, even after missing out on Jose Soriano earlier in the day and watching the chances of a Reid Detmers deal fade. Texas, which had been pushing for first place in the American League West last week, suddenly looks like a team willing to move some of its controllable arms.
That is the kind of change that can reshape a deadline in a hurry.
Teams are talking to Rangers about MacKenzie Gore, Nate Eovaldi and Jacob Latz as @jonmorosi reported. Rangers listening.
- Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 3, 2026
North Side Baseball’s Matthew Trueblood reported that the Cubs have been in conversations with Texas, and that Eovaldi stands out as the most likely fit if a deal gets done. After him, Trueblood listed Gore, then deGrom, which lines up with the way the Cubs have been viewing the market.
Eovaldi would make a lot of sense for Chicago. He is making $25 million this season and next, he’s getting ground balls 49.9% of the time this year, and he’s striking out more than 25% of the hitters he’s faced.
If the Cubs want a reliable starter they can plug in now and carry into next season, he fits that lane cleanly. Jacob deGrom, with an AAV of $37 million, looks like a tougher match for what Chicago is trying to do.
Gore is a different kind of case. He’s had a strange season in Texas, with a 4.77 ERA, but the strikeout rate remains strong at 26% and his 3.80 FIP suggests things haven’t broken his way.
His Baseball Savant numbers also point to better value on his fastball and offspeed pitches than he had last year. Add in one more year of arbitration before free agency, and it’s easy to see why the Cubs would still have interest in his profile.
It also matters that the Rangers were scouting the Cubs last week, when Texas still looked like a buyer. At the time, the fit was harder to pin down. Now, with the deadline shifting under everyone’s feet, it makes a lot more sense.
Then came another twist.
Update - Rangers are now telling teams they are not selling, serving as a reminder of how quickly things can change during the hours leading up to the deadline.
- Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant)
In Other News...
Cubs Just Got Pulled Into Torontos Deadline Rotation Shakeup
Torontos deadline-day rotation shuffle has already sent ripple effects through the league, and the Cubs were pulled into the middle of it before the dust could settle. The Blue Jays moved quickly ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, adding Jose Soriano from the Angels while also reshaping the staff with veteran arms, a sign they were prioritizing immediate stability as they mapped out the rest of 2026 and even looked ahead to 2027.
For Chicago, the bigger story is how this kind of deal changes the market around it. A club in deadline mode can turn one trade into a broader reset, and the Cubs now sit in the orbit of a Blue Jays rotation plan that could still keep evolving as Toronto weighs future moves involving its veteran pitchers. Even after the first wave of action, the way Toronto sorts out its staff may decide whether this becomes a one-off adjustment or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Paid A Real Prospect Price For An October Push
The Cubs made a clear win-now move, parting with one of their better infield prospects to shore up the roster for the stretch run. Jefferson Rojas was sent to the Mets in a deal that brought back Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor, a transaction that signals Chicago is treating October as more than a distant goal and more like a window worth pushing through right now.
Holmes gives the Cubs a right-handed arm who is still on the injured list but getting close to a return, while Taylor adds experienced outfield depth for the final months of the season. It is the kind of trade that usually comes with an uncomfortable cost, and Chicago paid it by moving a player it had reason to value, betting the short-term upgrade will matter more than the long-term regret. [Read more 🡒]