Jed Hoyer has usually found ways to patch together a bullpen without spending big, and this season’s group has needed every bit of that touch. The Cubs brought in Jacob Webb, Trent Thornton, and Ryan Rolison on low-risk offseason deals, and those moves have helped keep the relief corps from completely unraveling despite a wave of injuries and uneven performances.
Even so, the need for help is obvious. The bullpen sits 14th in ERA and 27th in fWAR, and with eight relievers on the injured list - including four on the 60-day IL - Chicago is going to need reinforcements before long.
The question is what kind of arm the Cubs should chase. A pricey rental like Aroldis Chapman or a well-compensated leverage piece like Luke Weaver would be the flashy route, but it may not be the smartest one for this front office. A better fit could be a younger, controllable reliever who brings some stability, and the name to watch is Houston Astros right-hander AJ Blubaugh.
Blubaugh is reportedly available, and his profile lines up neatly with what Chicago needs. He has a career 2.90 ERA in his first 90 MLB innings, and he won’t hit free agency until after 2031. That kind of runway matters, especially for a Cubs club that has generally preferred shorter-term bullpen bets under Hoyer.
The Astros are a logical trade partner, even if they’re not quite the powerhouse they once were. At 46-49, they’re still hanging around the fringes of the playoff race in a weak American League, and they still have veteran talent that can draw interest.
Their biggest bullpen name is Josh Hader, and he’s having a huge year with a 0.59 ERA and a 43.9% strikeout rate. He’s also under contract for two more seasons after 2026.
But Hader comes with the kind of baggage Chicago has tended to avoid: he’s 32, has recently dealt with bicep and shoulder injuries, and is owed $19 million per year for the life of the deal. That makes him a far different kind of target than Blubaugh.
Blubaugh, meanwhile, offers the sort of durability that can matter just as much as late-inning flash. He has worked 58 innings in 35 appearances this season, and that rubber-armed long-relief profile could be tough to ignore. The Cubs could get him at a manageable cost and potentially lock in bullpen help for the next 5.5 seasons.
There’s even a recent Cubs-Astros comparison that fits here. Four years ago, Chicago dealt Scott Effross and his remaining 5.5 years of team control to the Yankees for Hayden Wesneski. A similar framework could be in play now, perhaps with a package built around Kaleb Wing or Mason McGwire.
Relievers are volatile by nature, and that makes any trade a gamble. Effross, after all, hasn’t been the same in New York. Still, if the Cubs want a bullpen arm who can help now and possibly settle the group down for the long haul, Blubaugh looks like the kind of target that makes sense.
In Other News...
Astros Already See Cubs Tucker Trade Return As Core Piece
Cam Smith has already given the Astros something to think about after coming over in the Kyle Tucker trade, and the early returns have been strong enough to push his name into a bigger conversation. The young outfielder has looked like more than a throw-in from Houstons side of the deal, and around the league there is already curiosity about whether the Astros should try to get ahead of the market and talk long-term security before the price climbs.
There is no immediate deadline, since Smith remains under club control for years, but that has not stopped the speculation from starting. The debate also fits a familiar Astros backdrop, with the organization still living with the reality of not having been able to lock up Jeremy Pena long term, which makes Smiths situation feel even more notable as Houston weighs the upside of certainty against the risk of moving too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Sent The Cubs A Brutal Trade Deadline Warning
The Cardinals are making a clear statement about where they think their future is headed, and the timing matters for the Cubs. By locking up rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt on an eight-year deal, St. Louis is showing real confidence in a young core that has started to look more like a foundation than a placeholder, which is not the kind of posture Chicago can afford to ignore with the trade deadline looming.
For the Cubs, the message is less about one player than the broader direction of the division. If the Cardinals are willing to commit early to their emerging talent, they are signaling that they believe the rebuild is turning a corner, and that should sharpen Chicagos urgency to act while there is still time to strengthen its own roster. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Could Revisit A Familiar Deadline Arm With One Huge Catch
The Cubs are still hunting for starting pitching help as the trade deadline approaches, and Michael King remains a name worth circling because of the way he fits the market. Chicago has shown interest in the Padres right-hander before, and his work this season has kept him in the conversation as a pitcher who could still matter in a rotation chase.
The catch is the same one that has made him a tricky fit all along: any deal would have to account for a contract that is far from straightforward, along with the possibility that King could be headed back into free agency soon. If San Diego decides to sell, the Cubs could revisit a familiar target, but the cost in money and long-term uncertainty may be what keeps this from becoming a simple deadline fit. [Read more 🡒]