Starting rotation options available now

[Bull]

On 6/11/2025 at 10:05 AM, Rcal10 said:

This is where I am with him. I would be way more worried he was fully back then I would limiting his innings. He is a high risk high reward sort of guy. I guess it depends on what the Cubs want to do. If they want a MOR guy they can target guys like Kelly, Mahler, Keller, Eflin, etc. But not sure which are available now. Pretty sure for the right deal Alcantara is available now. 

I just don't see the urgency. Imanaga is back soon, you're in first place, 90ish% chance of making playoffs.

Wait until a couple more teams are out of it and a couple more pitchers become available. You definitely need to be pursuing the top tier, but that top tier isn't all available yet. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Alcantara has been good for 2 starts and is pretty much expected to go at the deadline or close to it from what I have read. They're not gonna move him at a low valuation; he has 8 starts left before the deadline to build that up. 

 

I had not looked at his stuff numbers and his repertoire has been nasty as ever, just missing the command, which appears to be coming back. 

Edited June 13, 2025 by We Got The Whole 9

[Rcal10]

26 minutes ago, Bull said:

I just don't see the urgency. Imanaga is back soon, you're in first place, 90ish% chance of making playoffs.

Wait until a couple more teams are out of it and a couple more pitchers become available. You definitely need to be pursuing the top tier, but that top tier isn't all available yet. 

Do you really want 8 more starts from Brown, Horton or Rea? I mean, no, it isn’t super urgent. But the sooner they get a solid starting pitcher the better. Even with Imanaga back, it would be him, Boyd, Taillon and and whoever they trade for taking 4 of the 5 spots. 

[Tryptamine]

27 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Do you really want 8 more starts from Brown, Horton or Rea? I mean, no, it isn’t super urgent. But the sooner they get a solid starting pitcher the better. Even with Imanaga back, it would be him, Boyd, Taillon and and whoever they trade for taking 4 of the 5 spots. 

I do want Horton and I have no idea why they went back to not having an opener for Brown after he dominated back to back starts with one. Rea for me is the easy drop.

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I do want Horton and I have no idea why they went back to not having an opener for Brown after he dominated back to back starts with one. Rea for me is the easy drop.

I like Horton too, but there is an issue with innings. If you want Horton late in the season they need to limit him a little. And Brown also needs to limit his innings a bit, even if you or I like him. 

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, Tryptamine said:

I do want Horton and I have no idea why they went back to not having an opener for Brown after he dominated back to back starts with one. Rea for me is the easy drop.

Brown did not have an opener against Detroit

[cubfansince77]

On 5/26/2025 at 12:57 PM, Tryptamine said:

Mackenzie Gore

Freddy Peralta

Nick Lodolo

Shane Smith 

 

Would all be guys I'd have varying interest in and think they could actually be available, unfortunately 2 of the 4 are in division. In a perfect world, somehow Michael King became available. 

Gore would be great IMO....but I'd sure think the Nats would want a great deal for him  obviously. Love our depth and talent in Iowa but let's face it, Moises is blocked and to some extent so is Caissie so....yeah.

[Bull]

16 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Do you really want 8 more starts from Brown, Horton or Rea? I mean, no, it isn’t super urgent. But the sooner they get a solid starting pitcher the better. Even with Imanaga back, it would be him, Boyd, Taillon and and whoever they trade for taking 4 of the 5 spots. 

I think I do, because I think it means getting an ace around July 29th. An ace that will help in the playoffs. As odd as it sounds, the Cubs have the luxury of waiting; the only thing at stake is a first-round bye. If you add a TOR starter instead of a MOR starter by risking that bye (not losing, mind you, simply risking) I think you do it. Get Assad and Shota back, move Brown to the pen and Horton to AAA then. Then Rea to the pen when you land that TOR starter. 

Of course if you can make the right deal sooner, do it. 

So I would not say as you did, "the sooner...the better." I would say, "the better, the better."

Edited June 13, 2025 by Bull

[cubfansince77]

17 hours ago, Bull said:

I just don't see the urgency. Imanaga is back soon, you're in first place, 90ish% chance of making playoffs.

Wait until a couple more teams are out of it and a couple more pitchers become available. You definitely need to be pursuing the top tier, but that top tier isn't all available yet. 

I think you're spot on Bull....let's face it, we see this every year with contenders and no big deals are made in June and for good reason. Deadline will be huge....need another starter and another BP arm if possible.

[Rcal10]

55 minutes ago, Bull said:

I think I do, because I think it means getting an ace around July 29th. An ace that will help in the playoffs. As odd as it sounds, the Cubs have the luxury of waiting; the only thing at stake is a first-round bye. If you add a TOR starter instead of a MOR starter by risking that bye (not losing, mind you, simply risking) I think you do it. Get Assad and Shota back, move Brown to the pen and Horton to AAA then. Then Rea to the pen when you land that TOR starter. 

Of course if you can make the right deal sooner, do it. 

So I would not say as you did, "the sooner...the better." I would say, "the better, the better."

I agree they need to go bigger on the starter. I would rather one TOR starter and no pen help then a middle/back of the rotation starter and middle relief pitcher, if the cost was the same. I think they have enough decent pen arms. They don’t need another unless that one arm is a solid closer. To me all focus should be on the best starting pitcher they can get. Then, if anything else comes up and they want to tinker, fine. But it isn’t nearly as urgent. But to your point, sure I would rather have Sale in July then Heaney now. 

[gflore34]

Think there's any chance the Marlins would deal Edward Cabrera or Max Meyer?  Cabrera would certainly cost more than Meyer, considering Alcantara may the hot commodity.  It be just like Jed, under the radar, unlikely target, to get Cabrera or Meyer.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Think there's any chance the Marlins would deal Edward Cabrera or Max Meyer?  Cabrera would certainly cost more than Meyer, considering Alcantara may the hot commodity.  It be just like Jed, under the radar, unlikely target, to get Cabrera or Meyer.

I want a guy who can pitch at the front of the rotation now. Neither Cabrera nor Meyer fits that roll. While I like a Meyer, possibly for a guy they can have for several years, I don’t think he works here and now. 

[gflore34]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

I want a guy who can pitch at the front of the rotation now. Neither Cabrera nor Meyer fits that roll. While I like a Meyer, possibly for a guy they can have for several years, I don’t think he works here and now. 

Cabrera has the stuff, he might be able to qualify as some who could pitch at the front of rotation.  But, I see what you're saying about the here and now.

[Bertz]

Dbacks and Red Sox are hot, which is bad for deadline purposes

On the flip side the Royals and Twins are fading a bit.  If that were to continue it'd be very good news

[muntjack]

What does a package for Ragans look like? 

[Rcal10]

3 hours ago, muntjack said:

What does a package for Ragans look like? 

Probably invisible since I doubt there is such a thing. I think Lugo would be a way more realistic option for the Cubs if KC sold. But I think that is a long way off. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Ragans is on the IL with a shoulder injury and getting a 2nd opinion this week, so that is probably even less likely than it was when the Royals were hot.

[gflore34]

Read something about the Cubs looking at the Angels' Soriano and, it sounds like taking on Kikuchi' bad contract.  I like it, most especially if relieving the Angels of a bad contract lessens the prospect cost for Soriano. 

[Derwood]

4 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Read something about the Cubs looking at the Angels' Soriano and, it sounds like taking on Kikuchi' bad contract.  I like it, most especially if relieving the Angels of a bad contract lessens the prospect cost for Soriano. 

 

Why would the Angels get rid of a quality, pre-arb arm?

[mul21]

1 minute ago, Derwood said:

 

Why would the Angels get rid of a quality, pre-arb arm?

Go read the article Derwood.  Geez. 😜 I don't love the idea of either and people smarter than me commented on why in that thread.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Jim Bowden's idiocy is back. His proposal:

Cubs get: Sandy Alcantara.

Marlins get: Cade Horton, Kevin Alcantara, O. Caissie and Ronny Cruz.

My instant reaction to this dumbassery is, "See Jim Bowden, this is why you are no longer allowed to run a franchise."

Just stop trying Jim Bowden.

 

[Tryptamine]

10 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

Jim Bowden's idiocy is back. His proposal:

Cubs get: Sandy Alcantara.

Marlins get: Cade Horton, Kevin Alcantara, O. Caissie and Ronny Cruz.

My instant reaction to this dumbassery is, "See Jim Bowden, this is why you are no longer allowed to run a franchise."

Just stop trying Jim Bowden.

 

I wouldn't give them the last 3 pieces in the deal let alone with Horton on top. Even by Bowden standards that's stupidity.

[sweetpeteman]

My initial reaction is that he's making insane trade proposals to generate clicks but no, I think he's just that stupid.

[mul21]

4 minutes ago, sweetpeteman said:

My initial reaction is that he's making insane trade proposals to generate clicks but no, I think he's just that stupid.

[NorthsideAvenger]

13 minutes ago, sweetpeteman said:

My initial reaction is that he's making insane trade proposals to generate clicks but no, I think he's just that stupid.

Didn't Bowden once asked for Corey Patterson and Juan Cruz for Pokey Reese?

So this new proposal of Bowden fits his style.

I wanted to share this level of stupidity of Bowden's.