August 3, 2026 Trade Deadline Rumors/Gossip/Speculation Thread

[Rcal10]

So I guess the next time I am challenged to give an example of a top 100 prospect being traded for a rental I can now name Rojas. 

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Tryptamine said:

That's the first one I would say is an overpay, but for what it gives to this year's rotation I'm mostly OK with it.

I dunno, if we're giving up our very top prospects I'd rather use them in a package for someone controllable than a 2-3 month rental.  Holmes is a nice arm though.

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

So I guess the next time I am challenged to give an example of a top 100 prospect being traded for a rental I can now name Rojas. 

Can also name Frias for May/Romero. 

This deadline, two top-100 types went in those deals. 

[chibears55]

So heres what Hoyer got...

Gausman  SP rental

Ryan zeferjahn backend reliever 

Braxton Garrett  an injured starter for 2027

Clay Holmes  PO for 2027/ possible rental 

Tyrone Taylor  RH rental bat

 

So, 2 likely SP rentals,  a reliever, a rental bat, and a SP for next season.

Main guys they traded away were Rojas, Ballesteros, Long,  Bateman,  and McGuire. 

 

So they basically upgraded the rotation a bit for the rest of this season only, got 1 a good arm for the bullpen, and a RH bat that will probably start in LF against lefties for Happ.

Kinda underwhelming but again,  I didn't expect Hoyer to wow me with anything big or getting SP with control, unless you count Garrett and Holmes opting in for 2027.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, chibears55 said:

So heres what Hoyer got...

Gausman  SP rental

Ryan zeferjahn backend reliever 

Braxton Garrett  an injured starter for 2027

Clay Holmes  PO for 2027/ possible rental 

Tyrone Taylor  RH rental bat

 

So, 2 likely SP rentals,  a reliever, a rental bat, and a SP for next season.

Main guys they traded away were Rojas, Ballesteros, Long,  Bateman,  and McGuire. 

 

So they basically upgraded the rotation a bit for the rest of this season only, got 1 a good arm for the bullpen, and a RH bat that will probably start in LF against lefties for Happ.

Kinda underwhelming but again,  I didn't expect Hoyer to wow me with anything big or getting SP with control, unless you count Garrett and Holmes opting in for 2027.

I think you're underselling how much of a rotation upgrade Gausman and Holmes is over Rea and Assad, here. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, chibears55 said:

So heres what Hoyer got...

Gausman  SP rental

Ryan zeferjahn backend reliever 

Braxton Garrett  an injured starter for 2027

Clay Holmes  PO for 2027/ possible rental 

Tyrone Taylor  RH rental bat

 

So, 2 likely SP rentals,  a reliever, a rental bat, and a SP for next season.

Main guys they traded away were Rojas, Ballesteros, Long,  Bateman,  and McGuire. 

 

So they basically upgraded the rotation a bit for the rest of this season only, got 1 a good arm for the bullpen, and a RH bat that will probably start in LF against lefties for Happ.

Kinda underwhelming but again,  I didn't expect Hoyer to wow me with anything big or getting SP with control, unless you count Garrett and Holmes opting in for 2027.

They got arguably the 2nd and 3rd best starting pitchers traded at the deadline. Even my constantly negative ass is fairly thrilled with this.

[Hrubes20]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I think you're underselling how much of a rotation upgrade Gausman and Holmes is over Rea and Assad, here. 

Also allows a lot of flexibility with Brown/Cabrera/Rea and the pen.  

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

If we get anything out of even two of Harvey/Palencia/Brown/Steele, our pen shouldn't be an issue. Get all four pitching well and we might have a bullpen of doom

Edited 16 hours ago by Tangled Up in Plaid

[Geographyhater8888]

Jed went all in instead of half assing the trade deadline like we all expected, I’m not at all upset over a potential overpay. People have been begging Jed to be irrational and this is the year to do it with some roster turnover and aging infielders. 

Edited 16 hours ago by Geographyhater8888

[Funky-daddy]

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I do feel like Rojas didn’t take the jump we hoped he would this year. He’s young still but the OBP has dropped this year, which is what had me most excited about him at lower levels. Idk he seems more like a solid starter than a possible star at this point 

[KCCub]

1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

I think you're underselling how much of a rotation upgrade Gausman and Holmes is over Rea and Assad, here. 

This. It's a long shot, but if you want to run down the Brewers this is how you do it. Plus, being in the WC series is much different than getting a bye. You legit need to have 4 playoff worthy SP with how quick the turnaround time is between the WC series and the division series e.g. Boyd pitching on short rest game one of the division series last season and not making it out of the 1st inning against the Brewers. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

If we get anything out of even two of Harvey/Palencia/Brown/Steele, our pen shouldn't be an issue

Add a possible Shelby Miller too and the BP weakness could become a strength real quick.

[chibears55]

6 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I think you're underselling how much of a rotation upgrade Gausman and Holmes is over Rea and Assad, here. 

No, I know theyre definitely upgrades for the rest of this season,  was just hoping hed get someone with more than a player option of control going forward. 

 

 

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Jed went all in instead of half assing the trade deadline like we all expected, I’m not at all upset over a potential overpay. People have been begging Jed to be irrational and this is the year to do it with some roster turnover and aging infielders. 

We didn't *all* expect that to be fair. 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, chibears55 said:

No, I know theyre definitely upgrades for the rest of this season,  was just hoping hed get someone with more than a player option of control going forward. 

 

 

Well, you said "upgraded a bit". They upgraded it *significantly*. The upgraded rotation has nothing to do with their control. 

I agree, some control would have been even better! But the Cubs added two guys you would have no issues starting a playoff game and replaced two guys you would have a lot of issues starting a playoff game. This is an unquestionably better rotation today. 

[chibears55]

6 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

They got arguably the 2nd and 3rd best starting pitchers traded at the deadline. Even my constantly negative ass is fairly thrilled with this.

Again,  im good with who they got, theyre definitely upgrades for the rest of this season.  Was just hoping for someone with more control going forward.

[mk49]

I wanted Holmes as a rental + a controllable.   I think he'll help us a lot, but I'm not sure about Gausman.  He's basically a 6.00 ERA pitcher over the last 2 months, though his xERA and FIP/xFIP aren't as bad.  Hopefully, he'll pitch much better with the Cubs.  

[Derwood]

15 minutes ago, JD94 said:

 

My wife used to work with Jackson Wolf's dad, lol

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, Funky-daddy said:

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I do feel like Rojas didn’t take the jump we hoped he would this year. He’s young still but the OBP has dropped this year, which is what had me most excited about him at lower levels. Idk he seems more like a solid starter than a possible star at this point 

He's had a very up and down year. He started ST hot and looked better mechanically. Then he started Double A cold, heated up super hot and cooled back off. 

His season is hard to grade from that aspect. The highs have been very high. The lows have been low. 

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, mk49 said:

I wanted Holmes as a rental + a controllable.   I think he'll help us a lot, but I'm not sure about Gausman.  He's basically a 6.00 ERA pitcher over the last 2 months, though his xERA and FIP/xFIP aren't as bad.  Hopefully, he'll pitch much better with the Cubs.  

Believe the xFIP. It's always more predictive than the ERA. 

He's had some weird walk things over the last month. But they aren't normal for him. So either he's broken now, randomly or he had a weird thing. 

His fWAR is right next to Joe Ryan. I am not worried. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, Jason Ross said:

He's had a very up and down year. He started ST hot and looked better mechanically. Then he started Double A cold, heated up super hot and cooled back off. 

His season is hard to grade from that aspect. The highs have been very high. The lows have been low. 

On his highs he sure does looks like a no doubt top 5 prospect in the game, but he runs those Alfonso Soriano lows where he is not just bad, but god awful for extended periods.

[chibears55]

1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

Well, you said "upgraded a bit". They upgraded it *significantly*. The upgraded rotation has nothing to do with their control. 

I agree, some control would have been even better! But the Cubs added two guys you would have no issues starting a playoff game and replaced two guys you would have a lot of issues starting a playoff game. This is an unquestionably better rotation today. 

One thing I do like and glad he got 2 SP, is that bullpen should be significantly better going forward the rest of season and playoffs with having both Rea and Assad in it.   I wonder what theyll decide to do with Peterson and Cabrera when he returns in a couple weeks, do they move Peterson to the bullpen or ease back Cabrera and use him out of the pen with limited pitches

[mk49]

1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

Believe the xFIP. It's always more predictive than the ERA. 

His xFIP (June/July) is about the same as Assad (whole season).  

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I think that Twinkle-Dee and Twinkle-Dum deserve an apology from Bruce, at the very least

Edited 16 hours ago by Tangled Up in Plaid

[Tryptamine]

Just now, chibears55 said:

One thing I do like and glad he got 2 SP, is that bullpen should be significantly better going forward the rest of season and playoffs with having both Rea and Assad in it.   I wonder what theyll decide to do with Peterson and Cabrera when he returns in a couple weeks, do they move Peterson to the bullpen or ease back Cabrera and use him out of the pen with limited pitches

I think Assad is going to AAA, Rea is your long man out of the pen. With Miller/Palencia/Steele/Harvey/Brown all various levels of nearing return I can't see how you can fit him in the pen, especially given Peterson.