The Cubs didn’t sit on their hands at the deadline. They made another swing, landing right-hander Clay Holmes from the Mets and adding outfielder Tyrone Taylor in a move that cost them top-100 shortstop prospect Jefferson Rojas.
It’s the kind of deal that says Chicago is going for it. After already bringing in Kevin Gausman, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Braxton Garrett, the Cubs went after the top rental starter on the market not named Tarik Skubal and got one of the league’s most extreme ground-ball arms in Holmes.
Holmes gives Chicago a very specific fit. With Pete Crow-Armstrong producing at an MVP level, the Cubs already have the kind of elite defense that can turn a pitcher like this into a weapon.
The club’s weakest area has now been reinforced, and the emergence of rookie Pedro Ramirez helped make that possible. Matt Shaw still gives the Cubs another young, versatile piece, too.
The front office also had some cover to make the move. Josiah Hartshorn and Owen Ayers have both broken out in the minors this season, which gave Jed Hoyer the flexibility to deal from the prospect side and chase a bigger name.
Holmes comes with some long-term uncertainty, but not much immediate commitment. He has a $12 million option for the 2027 season, though for now he’s essentially a rental. That’s a fair price tag for a pitcher who was excellent in his first season as a starter in 2025 and followed that up with a strong start to 2026.
The injury history is worth noting, but it isn’t tied to his arm. Holmes was hit by a line drive in May and broke his right fibula. Since then, he’s made three rehab appearances in the minors and is now ready to join the Cubs.
Before the injury, he had made nine starts and put up a sharp line: 52.2 IP, 2.39 ERA, 3.21 FIP, 20.9 K%, 8.4 BB%, 1.10 WHIP. The ground-ball numbers match the profile, too.
Holmes has a 56% ground-ball rate in 2026 and a 62% mark for his career. Last season, he worked as a starter in 31 games and posted a 3.53 ERA across 165.2 innings.
At 33, Holmes also looks like the type of pitcher the Cubs could imagine keeping around. His style fits this roster, and if everything clicks, an extension would make sense. For now, though, Chicago is focused on the bigger picture: the playoff race, the deadline haul, and a push to make the new additions count in October.
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 🡒]
Cubs Just Got A Surprising Deadline Opening They Still Needed
The Cubs still have not made a trade move, but they do have one of the more intriguing deadline paths to monitor as they poke around with Texas. The Rangers have shifted their approach enough to at least listen on some pitching, which has put Chicago in the mix for arms such as Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore and Jacob Latz. For a club looking for help without blowing up its deadline, that kind of opening is worth watching closely.
Texas, though, has also sent a mixed message to rival front offices, which is part of what makes this whole thing feel so unsettled. Trade talks can turn quickly at this time of year, and the Cubs are weighing options in a market where the other side may not be nearly as available as it first seemed. [Read more 🡒]