The Chicago Cubs are still in position to chase a playoff spot, but the area that needs the most help is looking harder to fix by the day.
Rotation depth has been a problem for most of the season, and injuries have forced Jed Hoyer to keep patching holes however he can. That already led to an early move for left-hander David Peterson in late June, along with a string of pickups off the scrap heap just to keep the staff moving.
With the Aug. 3 trade deadline now looming, the expectation was that help would be waiting there. The latest reporting suggests it may not be that simple.
According to a new report from The Athletic, team officials are bracing for a “scarcity” of starting pitchers on the market. The same report also indicates the search for upgrades could drag all the way to the deadline itself, which is hardly ideal for clubs trying to reshape their staffs.
For the Cubs, that matters because the injury picture still isn’t clear. Ben Brown, Justin Steele and Edward Cabrera all lack firm return timelines, and none are expected back anytime soon. Jameson Taillon should be available in the second half, which would at least bring a proven arm back into the mix, but Chicago still has a rotation that could use a real boost before the deadline.
Even with Taillon and Matthew Boyd back in the fold, the group leaves something to be desired when you start thinking about October. Boyd, Taillon, Peterson, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea would be the likely mix, assuming Javier Assad is the one pushed aside once Taillon returns. The Cubs got through the wild-card round last year without Steele or Horton, but that’s not exactly a blueprint anyone wants to copy again.
The scarcity of available starters doesn’t mean Hoyer will be shut out from making a meaningful addition. It does, though, underline how much the Cubs may have to rely on their own injured arms to come back and stabilize things in the second half if they want to make a real jump on the mound.
Given how this season has gone for their pitching depth, that’s not the most comforting path.
In Other News...
Justin Steele Update Just Changed The Cubs Pitching Picture
Justin Steeles rehab has taken a meaningful step forward, with the Cubs left-hander expected to begin throwing off a mound in the first week of August as he works back from an elbow issue. Steele has been sidelined since April 7, and his absence has been one more hit to a pitching staff that has needed help for much of the season.
Craig Counsells latest update clarified the path ahead, and it is not the one Cubs fans were hoping for when Steele first went down. The rotation is the long shot now, which leaves Chicago weighing a different kind of late-season role if Steele keeps progressing, a possibility that could matter as the Cubs chase stability on the mound down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Draft Class Just Put Two Familiar Prospects On Notice
The Cubs 2026 draft class came together with a clear type of impact in mind, starting with Ole Miss pitcher Cade Townsend in the first round and followed by Texas A&M outfielder Caden Sorrell and first baseman Myles Bailey. It was the kind of haul that can reshape a farm system quickly, especially when a club is trying to balance upside with the reality of where its best young talent fits on the roster.
Caden Sorrells arrival gives Chicago another outfield piece to think about, and that kind of added depth can change how the front office views Kevin Alcantaras place in the organization. Bailey also adds another layer to the first-base mix, giving the Cubs more room to sort through their prospect inventory as the summer wears on and trade conversations inevitably start to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs May Have Landed Another Fast-Rising College Bat
The Cubs may have found another college bat worth watching in Caden Sorrell, the Texas A&M outfielder they grabbed with the 62nd pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. A left-handed hitter with real offensive upside, Sorrell was ranked 33rd overall by MLB Pipeline, which gives Chicago a chance to look like it landed value a bit later than his public grade suggested. He also arrives with the kind of profile the Cubs have targeted and developed well in recent years, especially among college position players.
Sorrells appeal is easy to see when you look at the tool set and the production he brought to College Station, where he was one of the SECs better offensive threats. There are still some reasons evaluators kept him from going even higher, including swing-and-miss questions and some pull-side tendencies, but the Cubs are betting on the upside in a system that already has notable outfield depth. And with Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ expected to hit free agency this winter, the organizations long-term picture in the outfield could change quickly depending on how these young bats develop. [Read more 🡒]