7/30 - Cubs Trade Deadline Rumors & Discussion

[PeanutPunch33]

28 minutes ago, Connor McConnor said:

The Cubs are not in the hunt this late very often.  

Prospects may or may not work out.

If you have to overpay a little to get Suarez, do it. 

36 Home Runs and 87 RBI year to date.

Shaw can give the other infield guys a rest, and still play 3rd a bit down the stretch.

This offense can go cold. It has, and it will.  We need all the help we can get. 

If we do make the playoffs and are making a run, who do you want walking to the plate with a few men on and the score tied in the 8th inning? Shaw or Suarez?

Get too cute about "prospects" and you will be reading your stats year after year instead of playing and possibly winning in October. 

2025 SEASON STAVG

 

100% agree.  Suarez is having his best season as a pro, a minor slump isn't enough reason for me not to want a guy who will hit 50+ HR and can slide into the cleanup spot seamlessly, crush LHP, comes up clutch, and who has playoff experience (and played well in those games).

Worth mentioning that he has also destroyed the baseball at Wrigley Field in his career.  He has more HR at Wrigley than any other visiting park 

[ILMindState]

1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

Soroka. Cubs. Done.

That's your guy!

[Jason Ross]

Just now, ILMindState said:

That's your guy!

...I just wish his velocity hadn't tanked his last three starts

[KCCub]

 

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

...I just wish his velocity hadn't tanked his last three starts

I thought you were high in him. Not the case any longer?

[PeanutPunch33]

Bargain Bin Jed?  Lol.  Jk.  Decent move for a guy that can fill some innings in August and September 

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

I thought you were high in him. Not the case any longer?

I am! I just wish his velocity was still up!

My hope is that he basically coasted and tried not to get hurt. But like, if his velocity is suddenly 91-92 instead of 95....

[Tryptamine]

As long as he's one of 2 pitchers that's fine. If he's the only SP then that's super gross. Hopefully no one in the top 15 to 20 was given up.

Edited July 31, 2025 by Tryptamine

[squally1313]

1 minute ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

100% agree.  Suarez is having his best season as a pro, a minor slump isn't enough reason for me not to want a guy who will hit 50+ HR and can slide into the cleanup spot seamlessly, crush LHP, comes up clutch, and who has playoff experience (and played well in those games).

Worth mentioning that he has also destroyed the baseball at Wrigley Field in his career.  He has more HR at Wrigley than any other visiting park 

A. Will take the under on 50 home runs 

2. He has more PAs at wrigley than he does any park where he hasn’t played for the team. No doubt he does well there, but just for clarity sake
 

C. Exhaust the options of using the bullets for pitching, and if that doesn’t work…fine. No one says anything about the transcendent brewers and joey Ortiz coming up in a (very hypothetical!) extremely leveraged October moment. 

[KCCub]

This is what 1908 is referring to:

 

[PeanutPunch33]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

A. Will take the under on 50 home runs 

2. He has more PAs at wrigley than he does any park where he hasn’t played for the team. No doubt he does well there, but just for clarity sake
 

C. Exhaust the options of using the bullets for pitching, and if that doesn’t work…fine. No one says anything about the transcendent brewers and joey Ortiz coming up in a (very hypothetical!) extremely leveraged October moment. 

I'm just tired of the Carson Kelly/PCA cleanup hitter duo.  I think a guy like Suarez lengthens the lineup even more.  I know the Cubs have a great lineup already and it's a bit of a luxury but... they need to brace themselves for the real possibility that they might run into that excellent Phillies team in the playoffs.  With all that great starting pitching, especially from the left side, a guy like Suarez can change the game with one swing.  I'm not there yet with Shaw, even though he's been really good lately.  

[muntjack]

You're tired of the NL MVP hitting cleanup? 

[Connor McConnor]

23 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

A. Will take the under on 50 home runs 

2. He has more PAs at wrigley than he does any park where he hasn’t played for the team. No doubt he does well there, but just for clarity sake
 

C. Exhaust the options of using the bullets for pitching, and if that doesn’t work…fine. No one says anything about the transcendent brewers and joey Ortiz coming up in a (very hypothetical!) extremely leveraged October moment. 

You don't think he can hit another 14 home runs in 2 months?  Certainly within reach, and probable given the way his year has gone.  

His "slump" in July is still better than all of our best hitters.  

The Cubs need a guy like this to makeup for the Shaw/Happ/Swanson hitting challenges.  Far more likely that Suarez continues to have a great year (probably made better by being at Wrigley and in a playoff race) than Shaw or Happ suddenly coming to life in a big way.  

 July

Suarez / 10 HR / 18 RBI

Tucker / 1 HR / 7 RBI 

Suzuki / 4 HR / 12 RBI

PCA / 6 HR / 15 RBI

[squally1313]

12 minutes ago, Connor McConnor said:

You don't think he can hit another 14 home runs in 2 months?  Certainly within reach, and probable given the way his year has gone.  

His "slump" in July is still better than all of our best hitters.  

The Cubs need a guy like this to makeup for the Shaw/Happ/Swanson hitting challenges.  Far more likely that Suarez continues to have a great year (probably made better by being at Wrigley and in a playoff race) than Shaw or Happ suddenly coming to life in a big way.  

 July

Suarez / 10 HR / 18 RBI

Tucker / 1 HR / 7 RBI 

Suzuki / 4 HR / 12 RBI

PCA / 6 HR / 15 RBI

Do I think he can maintain a 42 home run pace, something he’s only done once before this year (so far)? Maybe? I wouldn’t say ‘probable’. 
 

michael Busch and PCA both have a better wRC than Suarez in July. 
 

Is he a good hitter? Of course. Do we ‘need’ him? The offense has been incredibly offensive as is. Purely offensively we’re third in baseball, with baserunning and defense (where Suarez would be a clear downgrade) we’re the best team in baseball. Meanwhile, we have serious rotation issues, either in stamina (Boyd, Horton) or effectiveness (Rea, most of the bullpen). We have bullets, but they’re limited. We’re an injury to Matt ‘I get injured all the time’ Boyd away from our game two starter being…an exhausted Cade Horton? Taillon? To say nothing about game three. Upgrades need to go here. 
 

[tartan222]

i have a feeling that the FO sees the lefty-heavy lineup as one of the more major weaknesses of this team and is more concerned about shoring that up than a lot of fans (including myself!) who just see a top-5 offense and think "probably wouldn't put a bat near the top of our needs list!"

[squally1313]

3 minutes ago, tartan222 said:

i have a feeling that the FO sees the lefty-heavy lineup as one of the more major weaknesses of this team and is more concerned about shoring that up than a lot of fans (including myself!) who just see a top-5 offense and think "probably wouldn't put a bat near the top of our needs list!"

Eh. Tucker has a 133 wRC against LHP, Suzuki will come out of his slump, Dansby and Hoerner hit them well. Even Matt Shaw has a 107 wRC against them. 
 

I know we’ve struggled lately against them, but as others have pointed out, we went through a pretty elite run of lefty starters. No one would say we struggle against RHP if Skenes shuts us down. Trying to perfect an elite offense at the opportunity cost of pitching help seems foolish. 

[Jason Ross]

I do wonder how likely Soroka is to signal that the Cubs feel comfortable that they'll land a controlled SP. 

Obviously if one was done, it'd be done, but it seems like he's probably the reliever pickup and is a rental. Maybe they went with Mike because he could be a rotation fall back? But feels like he's headed to BP land. If the Cubs go rental at SP too, it means they would probably keep almost everyone in the Caissie/Wiggins/Ballesteros/Long/Rojas crew and while it's nice to keep them all around, feels like a bit of a surprise if they do. I think Alcantara could still be moved for, say, Suarez, but even then think they keep him now because there is no other CF'er around.

[Rex Buckingham]

hmmm... another pen arm?

 

[KCCub]

Kittredge has always been a solid arm 

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, Rex Buckingham said:

hmmm... another pen arm?

 

Brett acting like he and Cerami don't work together is so obnoxious 

Kittredge is solid though.  Very acceptable RP get if the team pulls down a primo starter.

Edited July 31, 2025 by Bertz
spelling

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Yeah, would love Kittredge to push Pressly to mop up or just off the team entirely.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

Brett acting like he and Cerami don't work together is so obnoxious 

Kittredge is solid though.  Very acceptable RP get if the time pulls down a primo starter.

What’s the appeal (genuinely asking)? Skimming Fangraphs/Baseball Savant for all of 90 seconds and he seems…fine?

[chibears55]

1 minute ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Yeah, would love Kittredge to push Pressly to mop up or just off the team entirely.

That the goal, getting rid of guys like him altogether. 

[Jason Ross]

8 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

What’s the appeal (genuinely asking)? Skimming Fangraphs/Baseball Savant for all of 90 seconds and he seems…fine?

One of the best chase rates in baseball over the last few years. Legitimately 100th percentile last year. Pretty strong wiff rates last two years. 

He won't be a star. But he is probably a very solid 7th inning type. And with Pressley looking more and more done, he would probably be a decent upgrade there while also being cheap.

[JD94]

4 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

What’s the appeal (genuinely asking)? Skimming Fangraphs/Baseball Savant for all of 90 seconds and he seems…fine?

Don’t really see the appeal of adding Kittredge and Soroka to the pen. I guess if Kittredge replaces Pressly, then okay? Fine I guess. It’s fine. Doesn’t move the needle much, but pretty meh. He’s a solid dependable medium leverage reliever