The Cubs have already made one splash, but the feeling around the deadline is pretty clear: they’re not done yet.
Chicago addressed its rotation by landing veteran All-Star Kevin Gausman from the Blue Jays, parting with its No. 13 and No. 21 prospects, per MLB Pipeline. Gausman brings 23 starts this season and a World Series appearance from one year ago, giving the Cubs the kind of postseason-tested arm they wanted as they chase an October run.
But the fit comes with some real questions. Gausman’s 2026 season has been uneven, and his 4.38 ERA is his highest since 2019.
He’s also been tagged for a lot of hard contact and has allowed 14 combined runs over his last four starts. Even so, Chicago believes there’s more in there.
His command still looks strong, and his splitter remains the pitch that makes him dangerous, with a whiff rate of nearly 40.0 percent.
That’s why Gausman looks more like the start of the Cubs’ deadline than the finish. The Athletic reported that Chicago still intends to keep working the market, with Ken Rosenthal, Mitch Bannon, and Shadev Sharma noting the club wants another starter and is specifically after someone with years of control remaining.
Prior reporting also points to a reliever still being on the wishlist, and the deadline arrives at 5:00 p.m. CT.
If the Cubs are trying to keep swinging, Reid Detmers makes a lot of sense. The Angels left-hander has been on their radar for weeks and is in the middle of a career year.
His recent form has cooled a bit, but the larger body of work still supports the breakout. Detmers has a 28.3 percent strikeout rate and works with a four-pitch mix, headlined by a mid-90s four-seamer and a slider that stands out as his best weapon.
For a Chicago rotation that could use more swing-and-miss, he’d bring something different. He would also come with several seasons of team control.
There’s at least a chance the Angels decide not to move him after dealing José Soriano on Monday morning, though that trade could also be the sign of a broader sell-off.
George Kirby would be an even bigger prize, but he also looks far less attainable. The Mariners right-hander would come with a steep asking price, and it’s still not clear Seattle is ready to move him.
Still, Sahadev Sharma said on Monday morning’s edition of North Side Territory that the Cubs would "love" to get their hands on the cost-controlled starter. He also said Chicago appears much more interested in Kirby than Emerson Hancock, another name that has come up recently.
Kirby has posted a 3.76 ERA across 21 outings this season. Like Detmers, he does a strong job of limiting walks and getting ground balls, which plays well with the Cubs’ elite infield defense. He may not be the likeliest addition, but he sits near the top of Chicago’s wish list.
If the Cubs decide the starter market is too expensive, there’s another path: Luke Weaver. The Mets are in full sell-off mode, and Weaver may be their most appealing remaining trade chip. He’s also under contract for 2027, though that comes with a $12.5 million price tag.
Weaver would change the look of Chicago’s bullpen right away. He has a 1.84 ERA in 44.0 innings and brings the swing-and-miss stuff this relief group could use.
His 26.6 K rate and 30.4 whiff rate speak for themselves, and the fastball-changeup combination fits the profile of a high-end setup arm. Even so, the Cubs may not go that far for bullpen help, especially with Javier Assad and Colin Rea potentially able to fill relief roles soon.
In Other News...
Rangers See Something In Logan OHoppe The Angels Never Found
Logan OHoppes move from Anaheim to Texas came with a fresh start and a quick trip to Triple A, but the bigger shift may be in how he is being viewed. The Rangers clearly think there is more here than the Angels were able to unlock, and they see the catcher as a real part of their future behind the plate. For OHoppe, it is a chance to reset after a run in which he had plenty of difficulty finding his footing with Los Angeles.
He has already sounded optimistic about the change of scenery, which matters for a player trying to turn promise into production. The Rangers, meanwhile, are not treating him like a temporary flier. They have a plan to help him improve, and the fact that they were willing to make that kind of commitment right away says plenty about how they evaluate him now, and how differently they believe his next chapter can go. [Read more 🡒]
Angels First Deadline Move Is Already Drawing Heat In Texas Deal
The Angels first move at the deadline sent pitcher Chase Silseth and catcher Logan OHoppe to the Rangers for infielder Angel Arredondo, a deal that immediately put the club under a harsh spotlight. Silseth had given Los Angeles a useful arm out of the bullpen, working as a 26-year-old reliever under club control through 2030 with a 2.72 ERA in 47 games before the swap, so the return was always going to be judged against what the Angels gave up.
It did not take long for the criticism to come, either. Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden blasted the deal as the "worst trade" of the 2026 deadline, a label that speaks to how little the Angels appeared to get back for two major league pieces. For a front office already trying to thread the needle between present needs and future value, this is the kind of move that will follow them well beyond deadline day. [Read more 🡒]
Reid Detmers Just Signaled A Bigger Shift For The Angels
The Angels deadline approach made the message pretty clear: after moving multiple players with years of control remaining to restock the farm system, the front office is leaning harder into the long view. Reid Detmers being part of the conversation, but staying put, only sharpened that sense. For a club that has spent too long trying to patch holes on the fly, keeping a young starter in-house suggests a more deliberate turn toward development and internal options.
Detmers remaining with the organization matters because it hints at how the next stage may look on the mound, too. Rather than chasing a quick fix, the Angels appear to be mapping out a future built around young arms and a slower rebuild, with less emphasis on a big winter splash. The deadline was not just about what they sent out. It was also a sign of what they may finally be willing to commit to. [Read more 🡒]