The Cubs’ deadline shopping list is getting pretty clear: pitching, pitching, and more pitching.
Chicago would ideally like to come away with three arms before Monday, according to The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal. That haul could shake out in a few different ways - one starter and two relievers, or two relievers and one starter - depending on what the market gives them.
That need has already pushed the Cubs into conversations on a wide range of pitchers. In recent days, they’ve been connected to Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, and Reid Detmers, and the search has also included Robbie Ray, Clay Holmes, and Emerson Hancock, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen also reported the Cubs as one of the teams “believed to have interest in” Casey Mize.
The variety of names says plenty about how Chicago is approaching this. These are very different trade chips, from short-term rentals to a controllable starter with years left before free agency.
Ray and Mize are both set to hit free agency this winter. Holmes is expected to become a free agent if he opts out of the final year of his contract.
Hancock, on the other hand, isn’t arbitration-eligible until after the 2027 season and is under team control through 2030.
That kind of control would make Hancock the priciest of the bunch in trade talks, even though he has the shortest big league track record. The former sixth overall pick debuted in 2023, but this season has been his first sustained run of consistent production.
In 20 starts and 110 1/3 innings for Seattle, Hancock has posted a 3.26 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate, and 6.2% walk rate. His 3.80 SIERA suggests the performance may not be quite as shiny, but it’s still a solid line for a 27-year-old who may not be close to his ceiling yet.
Getting him out of Seattle would likely require Chicago to part with some meaningful offensive talent that can help right away. The Mariners want bats, and they want them now. That’s the kind of ask that can steer a deal toward big-league-ready hitters, and Matt Shaw would fit that bill if he were healthy, though he’s currently on the injured list.
Ray presents a different kind of cost. Of the rental arms mentioned, he’s the most expensive, with a little under $8MM remaining on his $25MM salary for 2026.
The Giants have reportedly been willing to cover at least part of that money if it helps them land a stronger return. Chicago’s estimated tax number sits around $252.3MM, according to MLBTR’s Payroll Tracker, which puts the club over the $244MM tax threshold but still below the $264MM secondary line that has functioned like an unofficial ceiling for the team in the past.
Because the Cubs want multiple pitchers, they probably would prefer not to make one giant financial commitment unless it really changes the outlook. Skubal would be the obvious exception, but Ray, a former Cy Young winner, could also justify some extra spending if Chicago believes he can fit into - or even lead - a postseason rotation.
Holmes brings another wrinkle because of his health. The Cubs have already dealt with a pile of pitching injuries this season, so it’s fair to wonder whether Holmes might rank a little lower on their board simply because he is still on the 60-day injured list.
He fractured his fibula on May 15 and has now made two minor league rehab appearances, though he is not expected back on the Mets’ roster before the deadline. Even so, Chicago and plenty of other teams are keeping close tabs on his rehab.
Hancock remains the biggest question mark on availability, but Ray, Holmes, and Mize all look like likely deadline movers. The Giants and Mets are well out of contention, while the Tigers, sitting at 52-58, are expected to pivot toward selling by Monday. Mize was scratched from his scheduled start on Friday, which only added more fuel to the speculation that he could be on the move.
The Cubs’ bullpen plans are part of the picture too. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma reported that Chicago will also be in the market for relievers, ideally a right-hander who can miss bats. The strikeout piece matters more than the handedness, which is why Sharma wrote that the Cubs “would love to acquire” San Diego’s Adrian Morejon if the Padres decide to sell - or try to walk the line between buying and selling to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Morejon would not come cheap, even though he is headed for free agency after the season. Sharma suggested the Cubs are more likely to spend major prospect capital on a starter than on a reliever, especially a rental. And with several bullpen arms projected to return from the injured list, Chicago may not need to stockpile as many fresh relief pieces as it does rotation help.
In Other News...
Mariners Surprise Deadline Move Creates A New Lineup Dilemma
The Mariners stayed active at the deadline by adding Taylor Ward to the outfield mix, a move that gives Seattle another established bat as it tries to sharpen the roster for the stretch run. In landing the Baltimore outfielder, the club also managed to avoid dipping into its top-30 prospect list, which makes the price point look cleaner than many deadline deals of this type.
Even so, the move creates a fresh lineup question for Seattle, since Ward is more than a simple depth add and now has to be fit into a group that already has established options. The outgoing package included Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling and Brock Moore, and while none were among the organizations top-30 prospects, the trade still signals that the Mariners were willing to move on from pitching depth to address a more immediate need. [Read more 🡒]
Taylor Ward Just Raised A Bigger Mariners Outfield Question
Taylor Wards arrival gives the Mariners something they have been searching for, at least in theory: a more stable bat for an outfield group that has felt easy to shuffle and hard to trust. Seattle has been weighing whether to add offense or even make a bigger move involving Randy Arozarena, and Ward fits the kind of upgrade that can change the conversation quickly because he brings a steadier presence rather than another part-time fit.
The ripple effect is just as interesting as the acquisition itself. Arozarena still looms over any broader roster decision, but Ward also puts pressure on the role Rob Refsnyder has occupied, since Seattle now has another outfield option that can be used without leaning as heavily on platoon logic. For a club trying to balance immediate offense with future flexibility, the next move may say as much about how it views the rest of the season as the Ward deal did. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Deadline Decision Fans May Not Like
The Mariners already made one notable move ahead of the deadline, sending Luis Castillo out and bringing Taylor Ward into the mix, but they may not be done reshaping the roster. Their eye is now on a high-end bullpen addition, with Seattle showing interest in Padres reliever Mason Miller as the front office weighs how aggressively to chase help for the stretch run.
The complication is the cost. San Diego is believed to be asking for pitching prospect Kade Anderson, and that puts Seattle in a familiar spot for a contender trying to balance the present against the future. Anderson is viewed as close to the majors and could be in line for his debut this year, so the Mariners have to decide whether immediate relief help is worth parting with a pitcher they may not have to wait much longer to see. [Read more 🡒]