Plunging standings and a depleted rotation may force Chicago into a fire sale, putting veteran stars, expiring contracts, and high-value arms on the trade block this July.
Most baseball analysts would agree that the Chicago Cubs need to add starting pitching at this year’s trade deadline.
The loss of Cade Horton has been felt. Both Edward Cabrera and Matthew Boyd have struggled to stay healthy throughout their careers, and there is no timeline for when Justin Steele will return. That has the Cubs fully in the market for a quality arm by the August 3rd trade deadline.
But there’s no guarantee that the North Siders will even be buyers this season. They are currently sitting eight games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central division.
What happens if the Cubs are still eight games behind the Brewers by late July? The Cubs surely wouldn’t be buyers with the division out of sight.
Given the way the Cubs have been playing recently, they could seriously emerge as sellers. If that winds up being the case, these are the players Chicago could get rid of at the trade deadline.
Ian Happ & Seiya Suzuki
The only way Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki would be traded is if both players agree to it. Both Happ and Suzuki have full no-trade clauses in their contracts, which makes trading them a bit harder.
But there is a chance that both accept a trade elsewhere if the Cubs do become sellers. Happ and Suzuki are in the final year of their deals with the team, and Chicago would likely want something in return for both.
Carson Kelly
A contending team would no doubt want Carson Kelly. He has been an all-around solid catcher for the Cubs in each of the past two seasons and could be dealt in a fire sale scenario. Kelly will be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
Shota Imanaga & Jameson Taillon & Matthew Boyd
The Cubs have three starting pitchers on expiring deals in Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd. Chicago could look to move all three pitchers in the event that the team sells at this year’s trade deadline.
Imanaga is probably the most valuable of the bunch, while Boyd and Taillon could be starting depth pieces for contending teams. All three pitchers could net the Cubs something.
Any Veteran Reliever
Almost every Cubs reliever would be available for trade at the deadline. Caleb Thielbar, Hunter Harvey, Hoby Milner, Trent Thornton, and Jacob Webb will all be free agents after this season, and Phil Maton has not lived up to his two-year contract yet.
