{"id":19441,"date":"2025-07-18T17:14:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T17:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/19441\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T17:14:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T17:14:07","slug":"mlb-trade-rumors-who-will-be-cubs-top-targets-at-july-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/19441\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB trade rumors: Who will be Cubs’ top targets at July deadline?"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the All-Star break coming to a close and the MLB draft wrapped up,<\/a> all focus will turn to the next milestone: The July 31 trade deadline.<\/p>\n

[MORE: Jed Hoyer outlines Cubs\u2019 plans to bolster roster ahead of MLB trade deadline]<\/a><\/p>\n

In each of the past two seasons, the Cubs entered that territory teetering just under .500, with their prospects as buyers hanging in the balance.<\/p>\n

Last year, they were 47-51 ahead of the Midsummer Classic. Making a move to buy at the deadline was very much a will-they-won\u2019t-they situation. It nevertheless culminated in the Christopher Morel-Isaac Paredes<\/a> deal with the Tampa Bay Rays that the Cubs would eventually flip into acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros<\/a> in the offseason.<\/p>\n

This year, it\u2019s far simpler.<\/p>\n

At 57-39, the Cubs lead the NL Central \u2014 albeit by one game over the surging Milwaukee Brewers \u2014 and they have the second-best record in the National League right behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/p>\n

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer\u2019s messaging has been clear:<\/a> The Cubs are looking to acquire both game-changers and bench depth.<\/p>\n

With Justin Steele out for the season and Jameson Taillon sidelined for at least several weeks, the Cubs\u2019 priority will likely be a starting pitcher. Bullpen depth will follow, as will an experienced power bat at third base, given Matt Shaw and the bench platoon\u2019s struggles this season.<\/p>\n

[MORE: Jed Hoyer details Cubs\u2019 potential search for right-handed hitting help]<\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a plethora of options that fit the Cubs\u2019 needs, so we put together a master list of those potential trade targets:<\/p>\n

Top targets, if available<\/p>\n

SP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
2025 stats: 7.22 ERA, 91.0 IP, 71 K, 1.48 WHIP<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let the numbers fool you \u2014 there\u2019s a reason the Cubs are among many teams interested<\/a> in the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner.<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old right-hander missed all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery, so, naturally, he\u2019s still working to find his form again. But, Alcantara is also pitching in front of a Marlins defense that is bottom-10 in MLB<\/a> in defensive runs saved. If he had a league-average defense<\/a> behind him, metrics show his ERA would be nearly three whole points lower at 4.59.<\/a><\/p>\n

Enter the Cubs, whose team defense ranks top three in MLB.<\/a> There\u2019s good reason to believe that Alcantara would benefit greatly from a middle infield made up of Gold Glovers in Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner and the league\u2019s leading outfielder in Pete Crow-Armstrong.<\/p>\n

Alcantara\u2019s relatively affordable contract \u2014 $17.3 million in 2026 with a $21 million club option in 2027\u2013 makes him that much more enticing for Hoyer and the Cubs to pounce on if they believe he\u2019ll thrive on the North Side.<\/p>\n

SP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
2025 stats: 2.72 ERA, 109.1 IP, 121 K, 0.91 WHIP<\/p>\n

Landing the 2025 All-Star righty would be a slam dunk for the Cubs. However, it\u2019s not yet known how open the Twins are to letting go of Ryan, who is signed through this season<\/a> and will be a free agent after 2027.<\/p>\n

MLB Network\u2019s Jon Morosi reported on July 9<\/a> that Minnesota would both need to be \u201cout of the AL postseason picture\u201d and \u201ccompletely overwhelmed by an offer\u201d for a deal to materialize.<\/p>\n

The Twins are currently 47-49 and four games out of the third AL Wild-Card spot entering the second half. Should a skid happen and they decide to sell, the Cubs do have an enticing crop of prospects on hand<\/a> to offer.<\/p>\n

SP Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 stats: 3.48 ERA, 119.0 IP, 92 K, 1.14 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 5 years, $77 million (2024-28, free agent 2029)<\/p>\n

SP Mackenzie Gore, Washington Nationals
2025 stats: 3.02 ERA, 110.1 IP, 138 K, 1.20 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $2.89 million (arbitration-eligible 2026, free agent 2028)<\/p>\n

With Keller and Gore, it\u2019s not clear whether either will be dealt. They are valuable assets and since they are under team control for several more seasons, the Pirates and Nationals may not be inclined to trade them this month.<\/p>\n

Even if either player is made available, what will the price be? The Pirates likely won\u2019t be motivated to trade Keller to a divisional rival, and Gore is a 26-year-old having an All-Star season. The cost for either may well be out of the Cubs\u2019 range.<\/p>\n

SP Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
2025 stats: 2.52 ERA, 89.1 IP, 114 K, 1.16 WHIP<\/p>\n

In June, MLB insider Jon Heyman suggested Sale<\/a> could be a target of Hoyer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not likely going to see an ace traded, but it\u2019s worth dreaming to think about potentially Chris Sale or Freddy Peralta being traded, although I don\u2019t think Peralta will get traded to the Cubs,\u201d Heyman said on 670 The Score.<\/p>\n

In his second season with Atlanta, the veteran Sale was pitching lights-out before landing on the 60-day IL with a fractured left rib he suffered in his start on June 18. He won\u2019t be activated until after August 19.<\/p>\n

While the Braves are just 42-53 and 9.5 games out of the NL Wild Card race, GM Alex Anthopoulos was firm last month<\/a> in his desire to keep Sale where he is.<\/p>\n

The 36-year-old Sale is on the back half<\/a> of a two-year, $38 million deal with a 2026 club option.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare to see players traded who are on the IL, but it has happened before.<\/p>\n

SP Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers
2025 stats: 2.32 ERA, 112.1 IP, 113 K, 0.91 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 5 years, $185 million (2023-27, club option 2028)<\/p>\n

SP Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 stats: 3.34 ERA, 116.0 IP, 113 K, 1.05 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 3 years, $24 million (2023-25, free agent 2026)<\/p>\n

SP Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 stats: 5.40 ERA, 115.0 IP, 110 SO, 1.37 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $13.5 million (free agent 2026)<\/p>\n

RP Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians
2025 stats: 2.91 ERA, 20 SV, 43.1 IP, 42 K
Contract<\/a>: 5 years, $20 million (2022-26, club options 2027-28)<\/p>\n

RP Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles
2025 stats: 2.41 ERA, 18 SV, 33.2 IP, 48 K
Contract<\/a>: 2 years, $2 million (2024-25, arbitration-eligible 2026, free agent 2028)<\/p>\n

The same questions apply to these five arms. The Orioles will be sellers, but the Diamondbacks (5.5 games), Rangers (3.5 games) and Guardians (4.5 games) are still within reach of a playoff spot.<\/p>\n

Gallen and Kelly are set to be free agents, so they may be on the move. But the other arms are still under team control and their respective clubs may want to keep them around to make a playoff run in 2026 or beyond.<\/p>\n

If the playoffs started today, the Cubs would have home-field advantage in the NLDS \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n

\u2014 Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 17, 2025<\/a> Realistic starting pitcher options<\/p>\n

Adrian Houser, Chicago White Sox
2025 stats: 1.56 ERA, 57.2 IP, 39 K, 1.13 WHIP<\/p>\n

The White Sox appear to have found a diamond in the rough with Houser, whom they signed to a one-year, $958k deal on May 20 after the Texas Rangers released the 32-year-old right-hander.<\/p>\n

Houser has pitched like a bona fide ace since his first start on the South Side. Four of his nine starts have been scoreless outings, and he hasn\u2019t pitched fewer than five innings in an outing.<\/p>\n

The 32-65 White Sox could certainly be persuaded by the talent in the Cubs\u2019 farm system to make a deal. The crosstown rivals did something similar in 2017, when the Cubs bolstered their rotation<\/a> with Jose Quintana in exchange for four prospects, including Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease.<\/p>\n

Charlie Morton, Baltimore Orioles
2025 stats: 5.18 ERA, 83.1 IP, 88 K, 1.52 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $15 million<\/p>\n

Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins
2025 stats: 3.61 ERA, 82.1 IP, 86 K, 1.26 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $1.95 million (arbitration-eligible 2026, free agent 2029)<\/p>\n

Yusei Kikuchi, Los Angeles Angels
2025 stats: 3.11 ERA, 113.0 IP, 115 K, 1.37 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 3 years, $63 million (2025-27, free agent 2028)<\/p>\n

German Marquez, Colorado Rockies
2025 stats: 5.57 ERA, 95.1 IP, 71 K, 1.60 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 2 years, $20 million (2024-25, free agent 2026)<\/p>\n

Zach Eflin, Baltimore Orioles
2025 stats: 5.95 ERA, 62.0 IP, 42 K, 1.44 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 3 years, $41 million (2023-25, free agent 2026)<\/p>\n

Luis Severino, Athletics
2025 stats: 5.16 ERA, 113.1 IP, 81 K, 1.41 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 3 years, $67 million (2025-26, player option 2027)<\/p>\n

A bulk of this group should be dealt at the deadline, and the cost for any of the arms listed should not be exorbitant.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Bullpen options<\/p>\n

David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 stats: 2.53 ERA, 13 SV, 32.0 IP, 45 K, 1.13 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $5.9 million (arbitration-eligible 2026, free agent 2027)<\/p>\n

Brad Lord, Washington Nationals
2025 stats: 3.46 ERA, 65.0 IP, 56 K, 1.25 WHIP<\/p>\n

Dennis Santana, Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 stats: 1.56 ERA, 5 SV, 40.1 IP, 29 K
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $1.4 million (arbitration eligible 2026, free agent 2027)<\/p>\n

Jimmy Herget, Colorado Rockies
2025 stats: 2.94 ERA, 49.0 IP, 40 K, 1.39 WHIP
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $850k (arbitration-eligible 2026, free agent 2028)<\/p>\n

Here are four other relievers who could be available on the market as the Cubs look to add \u201cout-getters\u201d at the deadline. Bednar would be the most intriguing of this group, but the same logic applies with him and teammate Santana as it does with Keller: Will the Pirates want to strike a big deal within the division?<\/p>\n

Third base options<\/p>\n

Eugenio Su\u00e1rez, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 stats: .250\/.320\/.569 (.889 OPS), 31 HR, 78 RBI<\/p>\n

With the struggling Diamondbacks almost certain to deal Su\u00e1rez, the Cubs will be in tight competition to land the deadline\u2019s best available bat \u2014 but they\u2019d love to have the Cub killer himself (36 home runs and 94 RBI in 132 career games<\/a> against the Cubs) on their side for once.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old Su\u00e1rez is in the final season<\/a> of an eight-year, $79 million deal.<\/p>\n

The Cubs haven\u2019t had a viable option at third base for the majority of the season. Matt Shaw went 14-for-39 (.359) to begin his second big-league stint in May, but he has struggled to match anything close to that production since. Shaw is just 1-for-27 in July (.037), and his average has now dipped below .200 with two home runs and a .556 OPS in 63 games this year.<\/p>\n

Su\u00e1rez would be a massive upgrade for the Cubs at this stage of the year, but the question remains as to whether teams like the Yankees, Mariners or Mets will make more convincing offers. It\u2019s also no guarantee he will be dealt.<\/p>\n

Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen did suggest that his team is on the hunt for young, controllable pitching<\/a> \u2014 and the Cubs boast the fast-climbing Jaxon Wiggins<\/a> as their top pitching prospect.<\/p>\n

Willi Castro, Minnesota Twins
2025 stats: .265\/.356\/.435 (.791 OPS), 9 HR, 24 RBI
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $6.4 million<\/p>\n

Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals
2025 stats: .297\/.354\/.454 (.808 OPS), 8 HR, 40 RBI
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $774.8 K (arbitration-eligible 2026, free agent 2030)<\/p>\n

Yoan Moncada, Los Angeles Angels
2025 stats: .231\/.326\/.479 (.805 OPS), 7 HR, 21 RBI
Contract<\/a>: 1 year, $5 million<\/p>\n

These three players would not represent the big splash that Su\u00e1rez would be, but they would all be clear upgrades for the Cubs at third base.<\/p>\n