Cubs Could Jump Market to Add SP Prior to All-Star Break
The Cubs’ need for pitching help is one of the worst-kept secrets in baseball, but that doesn’t mean we won’t still see some patented sleight of hand from Jed Hoyer. The East Coast native almost certainly grew up listening to hip-hop like the Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G. I’d wager Hoyer took Biggie’s Ten Crack Commandments to heart, specifically number two, because he never lets ’em know his next move.
As we’ve noted here more than once over the last few weeks, it makes a lot of sense for the Cubs to try and jump the market for that starting pitcher they’ll need to bolster their playoff run. They could even get something working before the All-Star break, an idea Bruce Levine gave credence to Monday morning on 670 The Score’s Mully & Haugh.
Ed. note: As a quick aside, big congratulations to my fellow North Judson-San Pierre Bluejay David Haugh on his recent induction into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame. Our families go way back and it’s been cool catching up with him over the years.
“The Cubs are looking at adding that pitcher that we’ve been talking about, and it appears they’re getting closer to identifying some of these teams that are out of it that wanna trade,” Levine said. “So I wouldn’t be shocked if over the next week or 10 days, much before the trading deadline, maybe as early as this week, that they make a move for another starting pitcher.”
As for who that might be, well, that obviously remains a mystery.
“More likely a guy that we can’t all identify that’s a good, young veteran pitcher. And I’m working hard to try to identify that right now,” Levine added
Though he didn’t mention any specific names, Levine indicated that the Cubs would not be targeting the Marlins’ Sandy Alcántara. The two teams were heavily engaged in conversations about Jesús Luzardo, but questionable medicals scuttled a deal before the Marlins eventually moved the lefty to the Phillies. The asking price for Alcantara is expected to be quite high, and that might be scaring the Cubs — and others — away from a guy who’s been mediocre at best over the last two seasons now.
As much as we’ve talked about how much the Cubs could use more velocity in the rotation, that’s really all Alcantara offers. His minimal six-foot extension means his 97 mph heater actually plays down a couple ticks, and he’s among the lower 30% of the league in chase, whiffs, and strikeouts. The result is a starter who gives up loads of hard contact, not exactly a great fit for postseason baseball.
Chris Sale stood out as a top target prior to suffering a fractured left ribcage that could cost him most of the rest of the season. A similar injury in 2022 put him on the shelf for nearly four months. The combination of his age and uncertain recovery timeline makes a trade nearly impossible unless the Braves look to move him at a steep discount over what he could have fetched.
Our Jacob Zanolla pointed out several other options, namely Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen of the Diamondbacks. Gallen is the only one who comes close to fitting the description Levine listed, plus his pending free agency means he’d come at a reduced cost. But the D-backs are a game over .500 and just 3.5 out of a Wild Card berth, which recent history tells us they might still want to try to make the most of.
Though it might be tricky because of the intradivisional nature of the potential deal, the Pirates are always looking to sell. And no, I don’t mean Paul Skenes. Mitch Keller has been a very consistent, if wholly unspectacular, member of their rotation for several years now. Definitely not a needle-mover, but he’s under control for three more years at $15.4 million AAV and could present a little value as a bridge-type pitcher.
I don’t find that one particularly likely as far as the Cubs are concerned, though it would not surprise me in the least to see Keller moved as the cheap Pirates ownership looks to retool around Skenes before eventually trading him as well. As for what Hoyer will end up doing, I do think we’ll see something well ahead of the deadline. I also think it’ll be something at least mildly unexpected.
Wow, way to go out on a limb there. Stay tuned.
