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  • Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Chicago Cubs free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs are a contender ... for Tarik Skubal.
    Desperate for starting pitching due to a slew of injuries and poor performances, the Cubs have joined the fray in pursuit of Skubal, the reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner for the Detroit Tigers. That is according to a new report Wednesday by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic.
    Skubal possibly made his last start for the Tigers in a 10-9 loss in 12 innings to the Baltimore Orioles, a game that the Tigers led 7-0 when the big left-hander exited. It left the Tigers with a 51-58 record and 4½ games out of the final AL wild-card spot, although they would have to get past five teams to grab that last berth.
    The Cubs (61-47), who have 12 pitchers in the injured list, are in second place in the NL Central, three games behind the three-time defending division champion Milwaukee Brewers, but lead the NL wild-card standings 4½ games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies, who are tied. While Skubal would make a difference in the regular season, he would be a bigger presence in the postseason.
    An obstacle for the Cubs would be the package they could put together compared to the Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers, just two of the contenders vying for Skubal. Both of those teams have better farm systems, meaning the Cubs might need to give more higher-end prospects to be in the mix, including Northside Baseball's No. 1 and two prospects, Double-A shortstop Jefferson Rojas and High-A outfielder Josiah Hartshorn. The Tigers are also seeking a young MLB-ready pitcher, which the Cubs don't truly possess.
    Skubal is a free agent after the season and making $32 million this season.
     
    Brock Beauchamp
    How To Install On iPhone or iPad
    How To Install On Android Device
    Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.
    What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to North Side Baseball.
    From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.
    Additionally, a newer, completely updated North Side Baseball is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.
    With that said, here’s how you turn North Side Baseball into an app on your mobile device.
    How To “Install” North Side Baseball on iPhone or iPad Using Safari
    First, go to the home page of North Side Baseball at https://northsidebaseball.com/.
    1. Tap on the ellipses (…) at bottom right of screen.
    2. Tap “Share” in pop-up menu.

    3. Tap “View More”.
    4. Tap “Add To Home Screen”.
    5. Tap “Add”.

    That takes you to your home screen on iOS, where you can move the North Side Baseball app around, just as you would any other app.
    Additionally, you can turn on notifications for them. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://northsidebaseball.com/notifications/options/.

    How To “Install” North Side Baseball on an Android Device Using Chrome
    First, go to the home page of North Side Baseball at https://northsidebaseball.com/.
    1. Tap on the vertical ellipses (…) at top right of screen.
    2. Tap “Share…” in pop-up menu.

    3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”.
    4. Tap “Install”.

    That takes you to your home screen on Android, where you can move the North Side Baseball app around, just as you would any other app.
    Additionally, you can turn on notifications for the site. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://northsidebaseball.com/notifications/options/.

    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs are expected to focus their trade deadline efforts on upgrading the starting rotation, with injuries taking a significant toll on both the rotation and bullpen throughout the season. Position-player additions appear less urgent, with the club more likely to seek a complementary bench bat than an everyday lineup upgrade. If Chicago does make a deal, it’s likely to leverage the organization’s surplus of hitting prospects to address its much greater need for pitching,

    One name that is simmering on the hot stove is Reid Detmers, whom Russell Dorsey of Yahoo! Sports is reporting the Chicago Cubs have expressed interest in.

    Through 21 starts, Detmers has posted a 4.05 ERA (3.28 FIP) and a gaudy 20.5% strike-minus-walk (K-BB). The 27-year-old southpaw is controllable through the 2028 season.
    Do you think Detmers is the answer the Cubs are looking for in the rotation? Join the conversation in the comments!
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    With Jameson Taillon now jettisoned and the Chicago Cubs having multiple spots in their starting rotation that need an upgrade, there seems to be a team that they would match up well with.
    The Seattle Mariners.
    The Mariners, still in contention in the AL West even after dropping three of four vs. the Texas Rangers following Monday's 7-3 loss, are open to trading at least one of the six starters they have in their rotation. The two who are most available are young right-hander Emerson Hancock and veteran right-hander Luis Castillo.
    Hancock could be priced higher as he is under club control through 2030 before hitting free agency. Hancock has a 3.73 FIP (3.16 ERA) with a 6.3% walk rate and 23.4% strikeout rate. Castillo, on the other hand, is due a lot of money through next season, about $32.5 million with a vesting option for 2028 at $25 million if he reaches 180 innings in 2027. But the Mariners would be willing to eat some of Castillo's contract in the right deal. Castillo's output has slid from the days when he was an All-Star starter. He has a 4.37 FIP (4.85 ERA) in 19 games, walking 7.2% of hitters and striking out 20.1%.
    Seattle would be looking for major-league offense in return. One option the Cubs could part with in a deal for pitching would be right fielder Matt Shaw, who is currently on the 10-day injured list with a sprained right wrist but could be close to returning. There would have to be more than Shaw, perhaps a young hitter such as infielder Pedro Ramirez.
     
    Matthew Lenz
    The Cubs’ clearest deadline priority is starting pitching, driven by a rotation and bullpen that have been hit hard by injuries throughout the season. On the other side of the ball, their lineup is likely limited to a bench bat rather than guys who could contribute daily. If they were to strike a deal, it would likely come from the team’s hitting prospect depth, since pitching is the far greater organizational need.
    One option who's been on the market is Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com is reporting that the Seattle Mariners are willing to eat part of Luis Castillo's contract to help facilitate a deal.
    Castillo, 33, has had a down year, posting a 4.85 ERA (4.37 FIP) with a 12.9% strikeout-minus-walk rate across 94 2/3 innings. This comes after seven consecutive seasons of sub-4 FIPs and five straight seasons of a K-BB north of 15%. Despite all that success, a down 2026, an impending lockout, and a $24+ million salary for the next two years make him a little less attractive on the open market. He also has a vesting option for 2028 that locks in if he reaches the 180 IP mark in 2027. It's not clear if that number gets prorated based on a lockout/shortened season.
    Do you think the Cubs should move a hitting prospect for the southpaw? Join the conversation in the comments!
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    On a team desperate for starting pitching to remain in the postseason hunt, the Chicago Cubs have decided to cut one of their starters.
    Right-hander Jameson Taillon was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday. Left-hander Andrew Wantz had his contract selected from Triple-A Iowa. Taillon is making $18 million in 2026, the final season of a four-year, $68 million deal. Unless another team claims him off waivers or he is traded, the Cubs will be on the hook for the prorated portion of that $18 million.
    Taillon has a 6.74 FIP (5.92 ERA) in 15 starts this season, with an 8.3% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate. The final straw came in Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in which Taillon was tagged for seven runs in four innings on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He allowed 11 runs over 8⅓ innings in his last two starts.
    The Cubs currently have 12 pitchers on either the 15- or 60-day injured list, including starters Justin Steele, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown.
    Wantz was signed to a minor-league deal June 6 after being designated for assignment and choosing to become a free agent instead of being outrighted to Triple-A. He appeared in one game for the Rays, giving up five runs in 1⅔ innings. After signing with the Cubs and reporting to Iowa, Wantz has appeared in seven games, three starts, with a 4.32 ERA over 25 innings, walking 15 and striking out 26.
    Wantz was originally a seventh-round draft choice by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 out of North Carolina-Greensboro.
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    There are grandiose and subtle ways to upgrade positions for a contending team.
    For the Chicago Cubs, who get solid production from their catching tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, there could be a player who could increase that output that would be beneficial for a team already in postseason position.
    One catcher out on the market, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, is Baltimore Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman. Once the darling of the Orioles' rebuild, Rutschman hasn't been the superstar they envisioned.
    A switch-hitter, Rutschman has a career slash line of .254/.342/.414. He hit 20 and 19 homers in his second and third seasons in the majors, while drawing AL MVP votes in 2022, when he finished second in AL Rookie of the Year balloting, and 2023.
    But injuries in each of the last two seasons have slowed his production. In 90 games last year, Rutschman slashed .220/.307/.366 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. He has followed that up with a .251/.331/.433 with eight homers and 47 RBIs in 67 games this year before hitting the injured list for the third time this season Monday, this one for inflammation in his left wrist. Still, he represented the Orioles in last week's All-Star Game.
    That injury will keep him out until at least the weekend of the trade deadline, which is Aug. 3. The Orioles have struggled last year and this year and with Samuel Bassallo in the fold long term after signing an extension this year, making Rutschman not as valuable as he once was.
    Still an elite defender, Rutschman is also under club control through the 2027 season, so the Orioles won't be looking to dump him for just anything, yet it wouldn't cost the Cubs an arm and a leg (maybe just an arm) to pry him away.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    One step forward and one step back for the Chicago Cubs' pitching staff.
    Right-handed starter Jameson Taillon was activated from the 15-day injured list to start for the Cubs in Monday's opener of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. Right-hander Aaron Civale was also formally added to the 26-man roster after being designated for assignment by the A's and traded to the Cubs on Saturday.
    The bad news comes in the form of right-handed reliever Phil Maton going back on the 15-day IL with tendinitis in his right knee. This is his third trip to the IL with the same knee issue. Also, left-hander Drew Pomeranz was designated for assignment.
    Taillon has been out since going on the IL June 9 with a strained left hamstring. He spent the last two weeks on a rehab assignment. The Cubs' rotation has been besieged by injuries, one reason for the addition of Civale, who had a 5.42 ERA in 16 games for the A's. Entering Monday's start, Taillon has 6.31 FIP (5.19 ERA) with an 8% walk rate and 20.6% strikeout rate.
    Maton has been a fairly reliable reliever before this season. In addition to the constant knee ailments, he has posted a 5.49 FIP (6.18 ERA) in 31 games and 27⅔ innings. His walk rate (11.8%) and strikeout rate (22.8%) are way down from last year, when he posted marks of 8.9% and 36.7%.
    Pomeranz was signed to a minor-league contract June 22 after being released by the Los Angeles Angels on June 18. After being called up July 3, Pomeranz had a 9.45 FIP (7.94 ERA) in 5⅔ innings over six appearances.
     
    Braden Ramsey
    The Chicago Cubs selected Dylan Blomker at pick No. 159 in the 2026 MLB Draft. Blomker is a right-handed pitcher out of La Cueva High School in New Mexico. The slot value for the pick is $441,300. 
    Blomker, the 2026 Gatorade New Mexico Player of the Year, is an LSU commit. The 18-year-old has a fastball that can touch 96 MPH and a slider with "impressive sweeping rate," per MLB.com's 2026 MLB Draft stream.
    Draft analyst Jonathan Mayo told host Jacob Wilkins that he believes the Cubs can get Blomker to spurn LSU for their organization. Mayo added that "a lot of area scouts" thought Blomker would not be drafted this early -- predicating a move to the collegiate Tigers -- and offered a scouting report on him:
    "Unconventional delivery... he can really spin the ball, a high spin rate, sometimes up to 3000 RPM on the breaking ball. Low 90s, maybe a little more in the tank as he continues to mature... he didn't take that step forward at the beginning of the spring... but got better as the year went on."
    Jason Ross
    The Chicago Cubs selected Dylan Marionneaux with the 126th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft Saturday afternoon. Marionneaux is a pitcher at Northwestern State University. The right-hander had entered the transfer portal this year and had interest from the University of Miami, though ultimately would transfer to the SEC and the Alabama Tide. The slot value for the 126th pick in the MLB draft is $609.200.
    Marionneaux stands 6'3" but is listed only at 163lbs. In his most recent season at Northwestern, he struck out 81 hitters over the span of 84 innings pitched, while sporting a 3.51 ERA on route to making the All-Southland first team. 
    According to Baseball America in 2025, Marionneaux lives in the upper-80s and threw mostly fastball-slider: 
    "Though Lane made history with eight innings in a combined no hitter, the performance of the week goes to Northwestern State’s Dylan Marionneaux, who silenced New Orleans with a complete game shutout in which he struck out nine to just one walk and allowed two hits.
    "Marionneaux, who sits in the high-80s and primarily relies on just a fastball and slider, didn’t allow a base runner after the fifth inning. He has given up just one earned run over his last 21.1 innings."
    This is is a developmental pitcher with prototypical height who could add velocity through strength training. It's also a good sign that multiple SEC programs, such as Alabama and LSU, as well as Miami, were all sniffing around the pitcher in the transfer portal.
    Andrew Wright
    The Chicago Cubs have selected Carson Jasa the with No. 98 overall pick in the MLB draft. Slot value for the selection is $800,000. Jasa went 10-2 with a 3.59 ERA across 87 2/3 innings pitched for Nebraska last season. He limited opponents to just a .204 average last season and posted a 30.4% strikeout rate.
    Jasa used his fastball just 28% of the time last season, but that was because opponents struggled mightily against his off-speed pitches last season, managing just six hits and punching out 81 times against his curveball.
    His player profile from MLB.com says the following about his talents.
    "Jasa averages 96 mph and reaches 98 with his fastball, but it lacks life and command and tends to get hit harder than would be expected, so he has used it just 28 percent of the time this spring. He leans much more on a tight upper-80s slider that tops out at 91 and plays well off his best pitch, a downer 78-82 mph curveball. Opponents went 6-for-111 (.054) with 81 strikeouts against his curve in 2026. Though he doesn't employ his low-80s changeup very often and has difficulty landing it for strikes, it shows promising tumble and fade at its best. Jasa has much better feel for his breaking balls than his dead-zone fastball, and while his control has improved, it's still below average. That means he comes with a good deal of reliever risk, though he also has huge upside as a starter if a team can help him improve his ability to shape and locate his heater. He's athletic and has improved tremendously in college, leading to hope he can continue to do so at the next level."
    Steve Drumwright
    The dynamic talent of Pete Crow-Armstrong is going back to the All-Star Game.
    The Chicago Cubs' center fielder was voted in as an NL reserve to the July 14 game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Crow-Armstrong also went last year.
    Crow-Armstrong is a highlight machine, whether it is with his range and glove covering gap to gap (with the occasional miscue) or his bat booming home runs. He has a slash line of .287/.374/.526 entering play Saturday with 19 home runs and 49 RBIs. He also has a 5.1 bWAR, which is the best in MLB and near the 5.9 he posted last year.
    The nine starters for each team were determined by two rounds of fan balloting, with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement getting automatically selected to start by virtue of leading the first round in the NL and AL, respectively.
    The 23 reserves, which includes 12 pitchers as that position is not up for voting, are selected by player voting and the Commissioner's Office, which ensures that each team has a representative in the game.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs are ready to see what the Drew Pomeranz experience in 2026 is like.
    The Cubs on Friday selected the left-hander from Triple-A Iowa and sent left-hander Jordan Wicks to Triple-A Iowa.
    Pomeranz, who pitched for the Cubs last year, was released by the Los Angeles Angels on June 18 and scooped up by the Cubs four days later. With the Angels, Pomeranz had a 6.33 FIP (5.01 ERA) in 23⅓ innings over 25 relief appearances to go along with an 11.1% walk rate and 14.8% strikeout rate, all notably worse than his 2025 numbers with the Cubs. He also gave up five homers with the Angels.
    In 57 games with the Cubs last year, Pomeranz had a 3.36 FIP (2.27 ERA) with a 7.4% walk rate and 28.1% strikeout rate. His career rates are 10% and 24%.
    After beginning the season on the 15-day injured list, Wicks has been with the Cubs twice now, appearing in four games, starting twice and getting saves in the other two. He has pitched 10⅓ innings and posted a 10.45 ERA with two walks and eight strikeouts.
     
    Brian Kelder
    Veteran Hoby Milner has hit the IL with appendicitis. His place is being filled by Gavin Hollowell.
    An unbelievable stretch of Cubs pitching injuries continues. Ben Brown (neck) and Edward Cabrera (splits, hamstring) went down this week, as did closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) and walking-earned run Phil Maton (ego, knee).
    The Cubs will continue to play games, with or without healthy pitchers. The staff is reeling, and at this point, all you can do is chuckle.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Another day, another pitching injury.
    The Chicago Cubs on Friday placed right-handed reliever Phil Maton on the 15-day injured list with a right knee injury. Left-hander David Peterson, acquired two days ago in a trade with the Mets, was added to the 26-man roster and will make his Cubs debut when he starts Saturday against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
    Maton becomes the 11th Cubs pitcher to currently be on the injured list. He was on the IL in the early stages of the season with tendinitis in his right knee, but was out just a brief time. Acquired at last year's trade deadline and then re-signing with the Cubs as a free agent, Maton has struggled this season. In 30 games and 26⅔ innings, he has a 5.47 FIP (6.08 ERA) with an 11.5% walk rate and 23.8% strikeout rate, both numbers a few percentage points below his career averages (9.2% and 26.5%).
    While the Cubs are desperate for starting pitching, Peterson has also struggled this year, putting up a 3.85 FIP (6.09 ERA) in 16 games, including eight starts. He has a 9.4% walk rate and 19.7% strikeout rate.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    After a few days of mainly bad news regarding the health of the starting rotation, the Chicago Cubs made official what everyone had been anticipating: Matthew Boyd is back.
    The Cubs activated the left-hander from the 15-day injured list so he could start Thursday's series finale against the New York Mets. Right-handed reliever Gavin Hollowell was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
    Boyd had gone on the injured list May 6 after an incident at home where he was playing with his kids and tore his left meniscus, which was immediately repaired via surgery. That came after he missed a good chunk of April with a strained left biceps.
    Boyd's return comes a couple days after the Cubs placed two starters, Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown, on the 15-day IL. Brown's injury, originally called a neck strain, actually ends up being more serious than first thought, with manager Craig Counsell calling it a stress reaction in his neck and keeping Brown sidelined at least a month. The Cubs also claimed right-hander Bryse Wilson off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
    That led the Cubs to make a trade with the Mets following their doubleheader Wednesday in which Chicago acquired left-handed starter David Peterson for prospect first baseman Cole Mathis, who is currently injured.
    Hollowell has been Yo-Yo'd recently. Called up June 16, he was sent down Tuesday, called up Wednesday and sent back to Iowa on Thursday. He appeared in a total of three games for 2⅔ innings in that span.
    After the Mets series, the Cubs begin a big three-game series on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers, who lead the NL Central.
     
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