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  • Chicago Cubs Trade & Free Agent Rumors

    Follow the latest Chicago Cubs trade and free agent rumors, along with quick notes on the big league club, the minor leagues and the draft.
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    Steve Drumwright
    One of the more coveted arms at the trade deadline hasn't pitched in an MLB game since mid-May. That is not stopping contenders from pursuing New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes.
    According to multiple reports, including Ari Alexander of Boston TV station WHDH, the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are among the chief competitors for the right-handed starter. Holmes has been out since taking a line drive off his right leg, resulting in a fractured right fibula May 15.
    But Holmes made what was expected to be a final rehab appearance Sunday at High A, pitching 5⅓ innings (73 pitches) and allowing four runs, three earned. He was a bright spot in a dismal Mets season before going down, posting a 3.21 FIP (2.39 ERA) in nine starts and 52⅔ innings, with an 8.4% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate.
    Holmes is being paid $13 million this year (about $3.8 million remaining) and $12 million next year. That plus the number of suitors means Holmes will come at a decent prospect cost.
    Steve Drumwright
    The Chicago Cubs have been dumpster-diving and flipping over couch cushions in a quest to find starting pitchers to fill the void of their latest injury.
    With the trade deadline rapidly coming at them (Monday, 5 p.m. CT), the Cubs' priority is added multiple pitchers—starters and/or relievers—to give the team the best chance to not only secure a postseason berth, but to make a deep run, The Athletic's Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma reported Saturday. The Cubs entered play Saturday 6½ games out of first place in the NL Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers, but leading the NL wild-card race.
    Currently, the Cubs have 13 pitchers on the injured list, including six on the 60-day IL. Which of those pitchers come back and how effective they will be is up for debate.
    Of course, every contending team is looking for pretty much the exact same thing, so the bidding will be stiff for the best arms. The Cubs, according to The Athletic, are still in the mix for Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner from the Detroit Tigers, but more in the second wave of interested teams. The first wave is said to be the Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta.
    The Cubs could go back to the New York Mets to improve their pitching staff. They acquired left-handed starter David Peterson in late June from the Mets, who are opening to dealing right-handers Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes. Holmes is scheduled to make a rehab start Sunday as he comes back from a fractured right fibula, although that could potentially be postponed if a deal is near. The Mets scratched Peralta from Friday's start and the Los Angeles Angels did the same with right-hander Jorge Soriano, another trade candidate, Saturday.
    Possible bullpen adds are San Diego Padres left-hander Adrian Morejob, Mets right-hander Luke Weaver and Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jeff Hoffman.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    While interleague play has knocked down a lot of the walls of a player being a better fit for one league over the other, sometimes a player just feels more comfortable in either the AL or NL.
    Could that be the case for Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman?
    According to a report Saturday by Robert Murray of FanSided, the Chicago Cubs are among the teams interested in the Blue Jays' former closer. The Cubs entered Saturday as the top NL wild-card team. Hoffman finished an MLB-leading 59 games in 2025 with 33 saves, but did have issues down the stretch before becoming more reliable in the Jays' run to the World Series.
    But this year, those troubles persisted and he lost his role as the closer. He entered Saturday with a 2.46 FIP (4.02 ERA) in 50 appearances and 47 innings. Hoffman has a walk rate of 8.1% and a strikeout rate of 35.2%, both career bests. He has five saves in nine chances, but none since May 23.
    Hoffman is making $12.667 million this year and next year, but the Blue Jays are willing to move on from him with the team having never really been in contention this season and his erratic performance as a closer.
    He had success in a setup role in two seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies as well as one of his two years with the Cincinnati Reds. He began his MLB career with the Colorado Rockies.
     
    Matthew Nethercott
    The Seattle Mariners are listening on most of their starting rotation, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
    Passan reported Saturday afternoon that multiple teams have engaged on right-handed pitcher George Kirby, as well as right-hander Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock.
    Kirby, 28, is earning $6.55 million this season after avoiding arbitration and remains under team control through 2028. This season, he's sporting a 20.9% strikeout rate and a 20.9% whiff rate, both of which sit below average, offset by an elite 5.7% walk rate. His 3.33 FIP edges his 3.76 xERA, but quality of contact has crept up (.303 xwOBA, .384 xSLG, 42.0% hard-hit), leaving him reliant on limiting damage in the zone. The 96.6 mph fastball still plays; the swing-and-miss less so.
    The Cubs' biggest need at this deadline is pitching. All three of these players would provide Chicago with the quality innings they need.
    Matthew Nethercott
    The Chicago Cubs have been connected to former division foe Freddy Peralta in trade talks, according to The Athletic. Peralta pitched most of his career with the rival Brewers, including making postseason starts against the Cubs. Peralta was formerly managed by Craig Counsell, so there is some familiarity at play here.
    The Cubs need starting pitching, and at his best, Peralta is a very good one. This season for the Mets, however, has not featured his best; he's posted a 4.99 ERA in 113.2 innings pitched, but his expected numbers are better. His xERA is 3.83, which indicates Peralta is running into some bad luck. Many underlying metrics indicate that Peralta is a similar pitcher this season to what he was with the Brewers.
    The story from The Athletic notes that the Mets are talking to other teams, which isn't exactly a shocking piece of news. It's also not surprising to learn that the Mets are asking for a top-100 prospect in return, though whether not they receive that offer remains to be seen.
    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs’ top priority at the trade deadline is adding starting pitching, as injuries have left the rotation in need of reinforcement for the stretch run. While the bullpen has also absorbed its share of attrition, the biggest need is a dependable starter who can provide stability and innings. Offensively, the Cubs are more likely to pursue a complementary bench piece rather than a major everyday upgrade. If they make a significant move, it will likely come at the expense of some of their hitting prospect depth to address the more pressing need on the mound.
    Multiple MLB insiders are reporting that Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene is drawing significant trade interest, though the Cubs haven't been formally tied to the 26-year-old righty. Of course, an interdivisional trade would complicate matters and even raise the asking price.

    Greene, who is under team control through 2029, has only made four starts in 2026. Though his ERA is 7.06, his 3.20 FIP suggests that the gloves behind him have been a large reason for the inflated ERA. He's pitched to a 23.5% strikeout-minus-walk (K-BB) rate across 21 2/3 innings. Though the former 2nd overall pick is young and controllable, durability has certainly been a huge question mark in his first five big league seasons.
    Do you think the Cubs should take a chance on the fireballer? Join the conversation in the comments!
     
     
    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.
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