The Cubs have gone from aggressive to downright relentless at the deadline, and their latest swing might be the loudest one yet. After landing veteran and former ace Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays, then adding Marlins lefty Braxton Garrett and hard-throwing reliever Ryan Zeferjahn, Chicago has now struck again - this time with the New York Mets.
Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Mets are sending starting pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs for Jefferson Rojas.
Holmes was one of the most sought-after arms on the market, even with the caveat that he has pitched in only nine games this season after suffering a fibula fracture. Interest in the right-hander was widespread, with the White Sox, Brewers, and Braves among the teams linked to him.
The appeal is easy to understand. Holmes, 33, has turned himself into a starting pitcher and looked right at home in the role in 2025. He posted a 3.53 ERA with a 55.9 percent ground ball rate, and his ability to generate weak contact stood out thanks to a mix that included as many as six pitches, per Baseball Savant.
He also backed that up early this year before the injury hit. In his first 52.2 innings, Holmes carried a 55.3 percent ground ball rate and a 5.3 percent barrel rate. The questions are real - he can lose the strike zone and allow hard contact at times - but the Cubs are clearly betting on the movement and the fit.
And fit matters here. Chicago has made its roster-building preference obvious: keep the ball in the infield and lean into interior defense. Holmes lines up neatly with that approach, which is part of why he may have been the ideal target for this group at the deadline.
Taylor brings a different kind of value. He gives the Cubs another outfield option, plus speed and defense.
He’s not expected to play a major role, but he does deepen the group. Taylor has strong arm strength in center, can handle all three outfield spots, and has appeared in 310 games over the last three years.
He can also hit righties.
There is, though, one obvious wrinkle: what does this say about Matt Shaw? Chicago may be signaling concern about Shaw’s return timeline, which would help explain why the club wanted another outfield body in the mix.
The cost was steep. To get Holmes, the Cubs sent Jefferson Rojas, their No. 2 prospect and a consensus Top 70 prospect in baseball.
Rojas, 21, has been one of the organization’s best development success stories since joining the franchise in 2022. He has taken a big step forward in Double-A this season, hitting .270/.339/.461 with an .800 OPS, along with 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. He was not just a good prospect - he was one of the most complete players in the system, with real star upside.
It is never easy to part with that kind of talent for a player who could be gone in a few months. Holmes is a rental, and that reality hangs over the deal. Still, the Cubs clearly believe the match is worth the price, and there’s at least a chance the two sides could work something out to keep him in Chicago beyond this season.
The risk is obvious, especially with Holmes coming off a significant injury. There is no recent proof that he’ll be exactly what the Cubs need right away. But this is the kind of all-in move a team with World Series aspirations makes, and it sends a clear message about how far Chicago is willing to push at this deadline.
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 🡒]