With one week left before the 2026 MLB trade deadline, the Cubs sound ready to push harder than usual in their hunt for pitching. Jed Hoyer and his front office are still combing the market for upgrades, but the notable wrinkle here is that they may be prepared to part with more than just prospects to get one.
MLB insider Jeff Passan said Hoyer is “willing to deal” both major and minor leaguers as Chicago tries to patch together a staff battered by injury after injury this season. Passan also said the Cubs “are going to get at least one starting arm” before the Aug. 3 deadline.
The one player Passan pointed to as someone Hoyer will be careful not to move is outfielder Josiah Hartshorn, who has broken out this season with Myrtle Beach and South Bend. If Hartshorn stays put, that could leave a number of other names in play, including Kane Kepley, Jaxon Wiggins, Pedro Ramirez, Jefferson Rojas and Owen Ayers, depending on the deal.
Chicago has already been tied to some of the biggest names on the pitching market, with Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta and Reid Detmers among the starters connected to the Cubs. Given the state of the rotation, it makes sense that the team would be open to more aggressive options than just prospect-for-prospect swaps.
There’s also been outside chatter about Miguel Amaya as a possible trade chip, especially with contenders seeking help behind the plate. Seiya Suzuki has come up in rumors too, though moving him would be a much bigger swing given how important he is to the lineup.
The larger read on Chicago is simple: the Cubs are being viewed around the industry as a club willing to explore just about anything to upgrade the pitching staff, especially the rotation. That’s not usually the reputation attached to a Hoyer-led front office, and he could still choose the safer route he took last summer. But for now, there’s at least a real chance the Cubs go for the kind of deadline move fans have been waiting to see.
In Other News...
Cubs Bullpen Suddenly Has A Reason For Late-Season Hope
The Cubs bullpen, which has spent much of the summer piecing itself together, suddenly has a few more encouraging health updates to track. Hunter Harvey has resumed bullpen sessions and is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment soon, while Daniel Palencia is also moving forward after a strong bullpen session and could be headed for rehab work within the next couple of weeks.
Shelby Miller adds another layer to that late-season picture. The veteran right-hander, coming back from Tommy John surgery, has also resumed bullpen sessions and is on track to pitch for the Cubs before October, with a rehab assignment coming soon. For a relief corps that has needed help all year, the possibility of getting multiple arms back in the mix gives Chicago at least a little reason to look past the current grind and toward what the final stretch might hold. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Suddenly Face A Deadline Question Fans Wont Like
Cody Bellingers hamstring injury has quickly turned the Yankees outfield depth into a problem, and Aaron Boone has already acknowledged the club may need to look outside the organization for help. With Bellinger expected to miss four to six weeks and other key outfielders also banged up, New York is suddenly in the market for a right-handed bat, the kind of move that can ripple through the trade market well before the deadline.
For the Cubs, that is where the conversation gets uncomfortable. Any team looking for immediate outfield help is going to ask about Chicagos more established hitters, and the Yankees have the kind of need that can push a serious discussion into motion fast. If the Cubs decide to listen, the return would likely have to make sense for a club trying to balance present value with future depth, which is exactly the sort of deadline calculus that can get complicated in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]