The Chicago Cubs are in a rough patch and have seen their National League Central lead give way to the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago’s recent struggles can be traced back to their starting pitching, which hasn’t been good in July. But with four days until the trade deadline, rumors are swirling from all angles, and a lot of them are related to the Cubs being in the mix for a starter.
The top of the rotation is solid with Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd. However, they are both soft lefties, and the Cubs lack a true right-hander with swing and miss stuff.
Chicago is certainly expected to be a buyer; it just remains to be seen in what capacity they will make additions to their roster.
Cubs Should Trade for Seth Lugo
One of the best and most consistent starting pitchers on the market right now is the Kansas City Royals’ Seth Lugo. The Royals likely aren’t going to make the playoffs, especially with Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic having to deal with some injuries. This gives the Royals a great opportunity to trade away Lugo and garner a good return.
With Jameson Taillon on the Injured List, the Chicago Cubs have had to turn to unproven arms like Cade Horton and Ben Brown. Horton is one of the Cubs’ top prospects, and he may need a little more time in the minors, but the point remains the same: Chicago needs right-handed starters.
In a recent trade piece by Bleacher Report, Lugo was named as the third-best “rental target” by writer Joel Reuter:
“In 18 starts, he has a 2.94 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 107 innings, though he has already allowed 17 home runs after surrendering only 16 long balls in roughly 100 more innings a year ago. Lugo is technically not a straight rental with a $15 million player option for 2026, but that is a lock to be rejected in favor of a longer deal and higher average annual value (AAV) to reflect his improved performance.”
If the Cubs want to continue to contend in the NL Central, they absolutely have to make a move. Their rotation is not as good as the Milwaukee Brewers’, and it will be hard to compete with them down the final two-month stretch of the season.
How Much Would Lugo Cost?
As Reuter noted, Lugo isn’t technically a total rental, because of his 2026 club option, but any team is likely to take that on considering his durability and production over the last two seasons. He made 33 starts last season and had a 3.00 ERA in over 200 innings.
The Chicago Cubs likely aren’t going to move third baseman Matt Shaw, but all eyes have been on top prospect Owen Caissie as a potential trade chip. The Cubs have a pretty deep farm system, so they could offer another top-five prospect along with either Brown or Horton as other potential trade candidates. However, it would certainly cost the Cubs at least two players who are either already in MLB or close to being ready for the big-league level.
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