The Chicago Cubs are facing a pivotal offseason after getting swept by the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card Series, and the first order of business is clear: the rotation needs help.
That need becomes even more pressing with multiple starting pitchers set to hit free agency, including Shota Imanaga and Kevin Gausman. With the Cubs looking ahead to 2027, starting pitching is the area that stands out most.
That’s why Chicago has been linked to Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Gavin Stone. Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller identified Stone as a “prime” trade target for the Cubs and floated him as a buy-low option.
"Maybe they spend big in free agency and trade for a buy-low option like Gavin Stone? He missed all of 2025 to shoulder surgery and was unable to make it back to the big leagues in 2026, but he's a solid 'maybe' for a rotation spot in 2027 if traded," Miller wrote about the Cubs. "Prime Target: Los Angeles' Gavin Stone (three years of arbitration eligibility, estimated at $1.2M in 2027)."
Stone is an intriguing name for Chicago to consider. He’s 28, and the last time he pitched in the majors was in 2024 with the Dodgers, when he went 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA and 116 strikeouts.
There’s risk here, though. Stone missed the entire 2025 season after shoulder surgery, and this year he logged only six appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City, finishing 0-1 with a 5.28 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
Even with the uneven Triple-A showing, Stone could still fit the profile of a worthwhile gamble for the Cubs. If he gets back to full strength and rediscovers the form he showed in 2024, he could give Chicago a meaningful boost in the rotation.
In Other News...
Dodgers May Already Have Their Next Crucial Depth Pieces Lined Up
The Dodgers push for a third straight National League Championship Series title ended with injuries serving as a familiar reminder of how quickly a season can strain even a loaded roster. Throughout the year, several key players landed on the injured list, making it clear that depth is not a luxury in Los Angeles so much as a necessity if the club wants to keep rolling deep into October.
Looking ahead, the organization already appears to have a few internal answers on the horizon. Jacob Kmatz, Jackson Ferris, Zach Ehrhard and Alex Freeland are among the prospects who could help fortify the roster and give the Dodgers the kind of reinforcements that matter most when the inevitable wear and tear shows up again, with 2027 shaping up as the year their value could really come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face A Bryce Harper Question That Goes Beyond One Trade
The Phillies postseason exit has opened the door to some uncomfortable offseason questions, and Bryce Harper sits near the center of them. Philadelphia is weighing a partial rebuild after another October disappointment, and while Harper and Trea Turner are both part of the conversation, Harpers situation is the harder one to untangle because of the size of his contract and the power of his full no-trade clause.
For the Dodgers, the appeal is obvious on paper. They have the financial muscle to chase almost anyone, but this is also a roster that has been trying to get younger, which makes a Harper pursuit a little less straightforward than it would seem from the outside. Even with Los Angeles always lurking in big-name trade speculation, the path to landing Harper looks complicated enough that this one may stay more rumor than realistic offseason plan. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Got A Telling Skubal Update From Andrew Friedman
Tarik Skubals arrival in Los Angeles gave the Dodgers exactly the kind of late-season boost they were hoping for, and now his future has become one of the biggest issues on their offseason list. The left-hander settled in quickly after being traded during the season, and his postseason work only reinforced why he has become such a coveted name on the market.
Andrew Friedman praised the way Skubal handled the transition and said the Dodgers will keep talking with agent Scott Boras, but there is still a long road ahead before anything is settled. Los Angeles wants to keep him beyond this offseason, though Friedman also made clear that Skubal and his family will ultimately have the final say on where this next chapter goes. [Read more 🡒]