With the trade deadline arriving Monday, the Cubs’ lineup card against the Yankees on Friday afternoon was always going to draw extra attention. Carson Kelly and Seiya Suzuki were both out of the starting lineup, and that alone was enough to spark fresh speculation about where Chicago stands as it keeps hunting for pitching.
Suzuki’s name has already been circulating in trade chatter, including as recently as Friday morning, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale added another layer by reporting that the Cubs are among the teams interested in Mariners starter Emmerson Hancock. Nightengale also relayed the sense from a rival executive that Chicago could be positioned to land the controllable right-hander in a deal that includes Suzuki and former first-round pick Matt Shaw.
There’s an important distinction there: Nightengale was not reporting that such an offer is currently on the table. Still, if the Cubs were to put together a package with Suzuki and Shaw, that would seemingly put them in strong position for Hancock.
Even so, Suzuki’s situation carries a major hurdle. He has a full no-trade clause, and by most accounts he has settled into being comfortable with the Cubs.
That makes a deal difficult to picture. It also would be a huge baseball decision, because outside of Pete Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki is the most important bat in Chicago’s everyday lineup.
The Cubs are not likely to get where they want to go in October without him or a comparable replacement.
Shaw, meanwhile, remains a possible internal answer for next season, wrist injury or not. The Cubs want a controllable starter before Monday, but they also may not be eager to part with Shaw in a trade.
Kelly’s absence feels different. He has emerged as a name to watch for teams looking for catching help, but Friday looks much more like a routine day off than a trade signal.
The Cubs are in the middle of a 17-game stretch without an off day, and Thursday was a travel day after Kelly caught an extra-inning win over the Cardinals. In other words, this one appears to be a true breather for the veteran backstop.
In Other News...
Justin Steele Update Suddenly Changes Cubs Bullpen Hopes For October
The Cubs have made it clear where their deadline priorities lie, and it starts with relief help. Chicago is still looking to add high-leverage arms before the trade deadline, but the internal picture is starting to look a little sturdier too, with Daniel Palencia, Hunter Harvey and Hoby Milner all expected back in the bullpen between mid-August and that deadline window.
Shelby Miller has already gotten into game action again and could be back in the mix by seasons end, giving the club another experienced option to consider. The more intriguing development, though, is Justin Steeles progress in his throwing program, a sign that the Cubs may have another meaningful arm available later this year even if it comes in a different role than the one they once envisioned. [Read more 🡒]
Pedro Ramirez Just Put The Cubs In A Brutal Deadline Spot
Pedro Ramirez has quietly turned himself into one of the more useful pieces on the Cubs roster this season, hitting over .300 while bouncing around the diamond and giving the club a level of flexibility it can lean on. That kind of production from a versatile major league player is valuable in any year, but it carries extra weight for a team trying to line up its roster for the stretch run.
The problem is that the same traits making Ramirez so attractive inside the organization are also the ones that could make him appealing to other clubs if Chicago decides it has to use him in a bigger deal. With the deadline approaching and the Cubs looking to firm up their pitching plans, the front office is weighing whether a player who has helped stabilize the lineup can be part of the answer to a much larger need. [Read more 🡒]