The Chicago Cubs have been off to a red-hot start during the first third of the season. They lead the National League Central division by three games with a 33-21 record. Additionally, this is the first time since 2016 that the Cubs are 12+ games above .500 before June.
The catalyst for the Cubs’ dominance has undoubtedly been their offense. The Cubs’ offense has been sensational and has gotten the team out of many jams this season. They lead the Majors in runs and have scored 23 more runs than the second-place New York Yankees. They walk, hit for power, steal bases, and hit with runners in scoring position.
But one thing this Cubs team does not do well is pitch. At least not yet.
In a recent piece written by Andrew Wright of Newsweek, he theorized that the Cubs could make a move for veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman of the Toronto Blue Jays.
“Gausman could join the Cubs rotation and replace Ben Brown, who has a 6.39 ERA in 10 starts this season,” he said. “With a proven and trusted arm like Gausman in the rotation, the Cubs’ rotation depth is among the best in baseball when Imanaga returns from his injury.”
A tough season for the rotation
The Cubs’ rotation has suffered some significant blows this season. Frontline starters Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga have both missed significant time, which has caused plenty of reshuffling in the rotation. While Imanaga will hopefully return in the coming weeks, Steele’s ailments required season-ending surgery to repair.
As it currently stands, the Cubs have the 19th-best ERA among their starting pitchers. With veteran journeymen such as Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, and Colin Rea taking the bulk of the innings, it’s easy to see why this is a major area of concern for Chicago. The Cubs have not received quality contributions from Ben Brown as a starter, and while a move to the bullpen makes sense, the Cubs dont have the starting pitching depth to do so as of now. Chicago is also relying on youngster Cade Horton to provide quality starts despite his experience in MLB.
Gausman would be a welcome addition
While the 34-year-old Gausman isn’t the prize of the starting pitching trade market, he could be a huge asset for Chicago. The two-time All-Star has pitched well in Toronto this season and above his career averages. In 11 games this season, Gausman has tossed 66 innings of 3.68 ERA ball, with a fantastic 0.939 WHIP. He is owed 2 years and $46 million on his contract, so the financial cost would not be cheap for the Cubs.
Adding a quality, productive veteran like Gausman would allow manager Craig Counsell much more flexibility. He could then afford to deploy Ben Brown in long relief situations where his stuff would ideally play much better. Additionally, this would allow pitchers like Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Chris Flexen to settle into their spots, where they have found a nice groove.
But in a season where their offense is one of, if not the, best in the Majors, the Cubs may want to push all their chips into the table to go on a run.
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