*** Official 2025 Chicago Cubs Thread***

[RivClone23]

Who do you think they should target? I'm not thrilled with most of the names I've heard and they even sound expensive.

It's tough to say right now as we don't know who exactly is going to be selling still (thanks playoff expansion). But outside of the top names, I don't know where the idea of these middle of the rotation arms are going to be too expensive. That's just not the case anymore for rentals.

Edit: The Cubs need innings just as much as they need upside in the rotation. Guys like Boyd, Horton, and Brown are all coming up on or have passed innings thresholds from recent seasons.

 

[CycloneSpinning]

Who do you think they should target? I'm not thrilled with most of the names I've heard and they even sound expensive.

I agree - I don’t know that you absolutely have to do anything. The Cubs have the best run differential in baseball. What they’re doing is working. Keep your eyes open, be willing, but no need to panic.

 

[cycloneman003]

I agree - I don’t know that you absolutely have to do anything. The Cubs have the best run differential in baseball. What they’re doing is working. Keep your eyes open, be willing, but no need to panic.

Playoff baseball is entirely different when it comes to starting pitchers and we undoubtedly need to pursue all avenues to improve there. It would be a mistake to gamble and stand pat.

 

[Cyforce]

Playoff baseball is entirely different when it comes to starting pitchers and we undoubtedly need to pursue all avenues to improve there. It would be a mistake to gamble and stand pat.

Who do you think is a playoff quality starter that’s currently said to be available

 

[cycloneman003]

Who do you think is a playoff quality starter that’s currently said to be available

I’m not going to worry about who is “currently said to be available”. We don’t actually know who is or isn’t available and even if we end up with someone who’s more like a third starter, that’s an upgrade.

It’s not about finding the perfect starter, but rather upgrading the current situation. Right now we’ve got Imanaga and Boyd who I trust. Imanaga has already been hurt this year and Boyd has a long injury history. Beyond that we have Taillon who’s up and down and currently out for a significant amount of time, Horton who’s a rookie and has an injury history, Rea who I don’t trust, Brown who’s been abysmal, Assad who hasn’t made it back to Chicago yet after the injury…

There aren’t 4 starters I’d trust to throw out there in a playoff series. We need at least one even mid-rotation option added to the mix.

 

[FerShizzle]

Who do you think they should target? I'm not thrilled with most of the names I've heard and they even sound expensive.

This. There just isn’t a market for starting pitchers right now so you will be paying twice as much as typical for not much of an upgrade. It’s a waste of resources. It impulsive.

I would rather keep as much as possible in hopes of having a larger window for contention with this mostly young core. If they hadn’t won a World Series a decade ago, sure, let’s go all in for one this year, but that’s not the case. Let’s get greedy. Let’s have a 3-4 year window with this core.

 

[FerShizzle]

It's really an interesting conundrum. I totally get what you are saying, and I always struggle to trade for pitching that can only play every 5th game. If you get into a playoff series you can get to a 3-4 man rotation. Boyd, Shota, Horton and if you have to start Rea you just call it a bullpen day is probably serviceable.

On the other hand, you have the best offense in baseball. You may just have one year of Tucker so you have to push the envelope. You have some quality prospects that are boxed out positionally over the next 2-3 years at least. So what exactly are you holding on to them for?

You can always trade them in the offseason when the prices become more reasonable.

 

[cyfanatic13]

I would be very happy with not breaking the bank and landing one (two would be even cooler but I doubt it) of
Edward Cabrera, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Seth Lugo, Mitch Keller. I think Sandy Alcantara is way too big of a risk at this point to send too valuable of prospects for

 

[Clonefan32]

The Rangers deciding to sell would open up quite a few options. Lots of solid pitching on that squad.

 

[RivClone23]

There are years to sit on the sideline and not upgrade the roster. This is not one of them.

You have one of the best offenses in baseball and a chance to go get a WS. To not upgrade would be a disservice and a fireable offense. No, you don't need to be reckless, but you need to make your roster better. Adding starting pitching will not preclude this team from competing in the years to come.

Also, deadline deals have increasingly become less costly. Unless you are trading for a very good player with multiple years of control you are not going to give up much.

 

[CycloneErik]

There are years to sit on the sideline and not upgrade the roster. This is not one of them.

You have one of the best offenses in baseball and a chance to go get a WS. To not upgrade would be a disservice and a fireable offense. No, you don't need to be reckless, but you need to make your roster better. Adding starting pitching will not preclude this team from competing in the years to come.

Also, deadline deals have increasingly become less costly. Unless you are trading for a very good player with multiple years of control you are not going to give up much.

Piling on, something about playing to win. There's a chance right now, so you go for it.

 

[RivClone23]

Piling on, something about playing to win. There's a chance right now, so you go for it.

I'll add: Last year the Dodgers got Jack Flaherty for their 8th and 22nd ranked prospect.

For reference, Flaherty had the same WAR pre deadline that Matthew Boyd does right now. The acquisition cost for rentals is nothing.

 

[CycloneSpinning]

I’m not going to worry about who is “currently said to be available”. We don’t actually know who is or isn’t available and even if we end up with someone who’s more like a third starter, that’s an upgrade.

It’s not about finding the perfect starter, but rather upgrading the current situation. Right now we’ve got Imanaga and Boyd who I trust. Imanaga has already been hurt this year and Boyd has a long injury history. Beyond that we have Taillon who’s up and down and currently out for a significant amount of time, Horton who’s a rookie and has an injury history, Rea who I don’t trust, Brown who’s been abysmal, Assad who hasn’t made it back to Chicago yet after the injury…

There aren’t 4 starters I’d trust to throw out there in a playoff series. We need at least one even mid-rotation option added to the mix.

But if you mortgage your future for what might happen (injuries that may occur)…or you sell out and just get beat by a better team, then what? You may close (or shorten) your window for when Steele, etc return. I think who is available and what they cost is enormously important.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

But if you mortgage your future for what might happen (injuries that may occur)…or you sell out and just get beat by a better team, then what? You may close (or shorten) your window for when Steele, etc return. I think who is available and what they cost is enormously important.

But this is the only year that you're guaranteed to have superstar in the middle of your lineup and a whole bunch of cost controlled guys coming back for next year regardless of Tucker, you're going to be fine plus the likely nasty labor dispute coming after next year makes this an all in year.

Give up whatever you have to give up.

 

[Cyforce]

Another thought, you go get Suarez now and it might shake free a guy with a no trade clause that someone out of the race wouldn’t mind dealing

 

[cycloneworld]

A guy in our office is a huge Royals fan and said there are talks of the Cubs trading for Lugo in exchange for Caissie.

 

[RivClone23]

Another thought, you go get Suarez now and it might shake free a guy with a no trade clause that someone out of the race wouldn’t mind dealing

A deal for Suarez and Gallen would be a great start.

 

[RivClone23]

A guy in our office is a huge Royals fan and said there are talks of the Cubs trading for Lugo in exchange for Caissie.

I don't see needing to send Caissie for Lugo, nor would I do it.

 

[cycloneman003]

But if you mortgage your future for what might happen (injuries that may occur)…or you sell out and just get beat by a better team, then what? You may close (or shorten) your window for when Steele, etc return. I think who is available and what they cost is enormously important.

That’s part of the game. We might not (probably won’t?) have Kyle Tucker next year. No prospect we have will come close to replacing that impact, so there is reason to believe you should try to maximize this particular season.

Plus prospects come and go all the time. Fans get hyper attached to them but many end up as busts and there will always be more of them that come along! Plus with the Cubs system we’re talking about good prospects, but no elite/top 10-20 type of guys.

If a deal doesn’t come together so be it, but they SHOULD absolutely be pursuing any starters they can. Rental or long term.

 

[cycloneman003]

But if you mortgage your future for what might happen (injuries that may occur)…or you sell out and just get beat by a better team, then what? You may close (or shorten) your window for when Steele, etc return. I think who is available and what they cost is enormously important.

Additionally, who are you so afraid of giving up? I can’t think of a single asset that we’d actually trade that would make me think a competitive window is “closing or shortening”