Starting rotation options available now

[Derwood]

It would be nice to pad the division lead enough that we could bring up another AAA starter just to eat some innings in July and August

[Rcal10]

23 minutes ago, Derwood said:

It would be nice to pad the division lead enough that we could bring up another AAA starter just to eat some innings in July and August

But I think if they are close to a top 2 record in the NL they will still be trying to do that as well. And I doubt they will have a large enough lead in that department to bring up AAA starters. Years past, when the central winner was obviously going to be the worst division winner, I would agree with you on this plan. But the Cubs do have a real chance at a top 2 spot. 

[Bertz]

Jeff Passan said this morning that the Rays will probably make Drew Rasmussen available.  Rasmussen and Pete Fairbanks would be a very direct and straightforward way for Jed to October-ize this pitching staff

[Dfan25]

Passan writes that Alcantara is the best fit for the Cubs .  Only way I consider is if he comes cheap in terms of prospects . Also I would trade for a 2nd starter as well in such scenario . ( rental )

[Dfan25]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

Jeff Passan said this morning that the Rays will probably make Drew Rasmussen available.  Rasmussen and Pete Fairbanks would be a very direct and straightforward way for Jed to October-ize this pitching staff

I like this 

Edited June 3, 2025 by Dfan25

[We Got The Whole 9]

Alcantara is far from the best fit for the Cubs

[squally1313]

23 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Alcantara is far from the best fit for the Cubs

Alcantara doesn't solve the current problem (the magnitude of that problem is obviously debated). Alcantara represents a...I don't want to say lottery ticket in the 18-year-old-in-low A sense, but a guy who, from 2021-2023 represents what would clearly be our best pitcher. If he's broke, you're out a reasonable price of prospects (but not nearly as much as someone like Gore, Sale, one of the DBacks pitchers, etc), and one more year at $11m. But there's a calculus where there's a correct price for the....1/3rd to 50% chance we get anything close to the pitcher he was because that's our October problem. 

[Bertz]

The good and the bad of Alcantara is that there's nothing obviously wrong with him.  The velo is down a smidge, and the stuff with it, but not even remotely close to enough to explain what's happening.  He's just been a turd out there.

There might be a super easy fix, but that's an expensive gamble.  My POV would be that he should cost very little in terms of players unless the Marlins pay down some of his 2026 salary (and before you laugh they might need to spend some $$$ to avoid a grievance from the MLBPA).

[Backtobanks]

4 hours ago, Bertz said:

Jeff Passan said this morning that the Rays will probably make Drew Rasmussen available.  Rasmussen and Pete Fairbanks would be a very direct and straightforward way for Jed to October-ize this pitching staff

Not only would it help in 2 areas of need, but both of them are controlled past this year.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

Not only would it help in 2 areas of need, but both of them are controlled past this year.

What’s the deal with Rasmussen? He is pitching well but his k rate is way down. He also might be very expensive to acquire. 

[KCCub]

23 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What’s the deal with Rasmussen? He is pitching well but his k rate is way down. He also might be very expensive to acquire. 

In his largest sample size, 2022 146 IP, he had a 21.4% K%. He’s at 21.6% this season. Last season (recovering from elbow surgery) he only pitched 28 innings, mostly coming out of the pen where he could air it out. 
He has 2.5 years of cheap control, really good when he pitches, has had 3 elbow surgeries, and probably has some sort of innings limitation this season. I’m interested and scared at the same time. 

[Rcal10]

15 minutes ago, KCCub said:

In his largest sample size, 2022 146 IP, he had a 21.4% K%. He’s at 21.6% this season. Last season (recovering from elbow surgery) he only pitched 28 innings, mostly coming out of the pen where he could air it out. 
He has 2.5 years of cheap control, really good when he pitches, has had 3 elbow surgeries, and probably has some sort of innings limitation this season. I’m interested and scared at the same time. 

Yep, innings limitation does give reason for concern. 

[Tim]

5 hours ago, Bertz said:

Jeff Passan said this morning that the Rays will probably make Drew Rasmussen available.  Rasmussen and Pete Fairbanks would be a very direct and straightforward way for Jed to October-ize this pitching staff

We could do Manny Rodriguez again.

[Dfan25]

Alcántara againts Rockies :

6 IP

2 ER

4 H

1 BB

4 K’s 

[Tim]

1 minute ago, Dfan25 said:

Alcántara againts Rockies :

6 IP

2 ER

4 H

1 BB

4 K’s 

Hopefully his time in AAA will help him reset

[BigSlick]

I totally forgot Javier Assad existed until I read this thread. 

[jersey cubs fan]

34 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

I totally forgot Javier Assad existed until I read this thread. 

Schrödinger’s Assad

[squally1313]

Might be a week or so away from adding Giolito and Buehler to the "Essentially Free Innings Eaters" list

[KCCub]

26 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Might be a week or so away from adding Giolito and Buehler to the "Essentially Free Innings Eaters" list

I was wondering about Giolito. I'm not sure how the Sox view his $14m team option for next year (If under 140 IP). That's fairly cheap and could be an appealing bounce back candidate after he has a full season post TJ surgery under his belt. Could see them wanting to hang onto him because they need all the pitching help they can get.

They'll for sure move Buehler if they are selling. 

[Rcal10]

53 minutes ago, KCCub said:

I was wondering about Giolito. I'm not sure how the Sox view his $14m team option for next year (If under 140 IP). That's fairly cheap and could be an appealing bounce back candidate after he has a full season post TJ surgery under his belt. Could see them wanting to hang onto him because they need all the pitching help they can get.

They'll for sure move Buehler if they are selling. 

Assuming the Reds don’t get back in contention, maybe Nick Martinez becomes a possibility. He wouldn’t be a TOR starter, but he wouldn’t be a bad pick up. He is also a FA after this season. 

[squally1313]

2 hours ago, squally1313 said:

Might be a week or so away from adding Giolito and Buehler to the "Essentially Free Innings Eaters" list

Pretend I never said that

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

Pretend I never said that

No worries. Not everything posted ages well. 

[squally1313]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

No worries. Not everything posted ages well. 

This is actually the first bad idea I've had in my 20 years here. Been a tough afternoon but I'll reflect and learn from it and come back stronger on the other end. 

[Rcal10]

5 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

This is actually the first bad idea I've had in my 20 years here. Been a tough afternoon but I'll reflect and learn from it and come back stronger on the other end. 

I can’t really relate. I haven’t had a bad idea yet…..😬🤷

[mul21]

On 6/2/2025 at 4:11 PM, Rcal10 said:

With the Dbacks falling back does Gallen and/or Kelly make sense. Both FA at the end of this year. Gallen has been really bad, put before this year he has been very good. Could he be this years version of Sutcliffe of ‘84? Sutcliffe had an era over 5 when the Cubs traded for him. People of a certain age know the rest. 

@Jason Ross any insights on why Gallen has been so bad this year?  I see all the indicators are going in the wrong direction (walk 5, K%, hard hit, etc.) but I'm curious if he's just lost location or spin is down or there's something specific he's not doing now that he has in the past.