Cubs 2026 Trade Deadline Grades: Did Jed Hoyer Strike the Right Balance?

[Sam Caulder]

Image courtesy of © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The 2026 MLB trade deadline has officially come and gone, and the Chicago Cubs were one of the busiest teams in baseball.

It was no secret that pitching was this team's biggest need, and Jed Hoyer made sure to address it. The Cubs opened the deadline by landing one of the top starting pitchers available in Kevin Gausman, but they didn't stop there. They followed that up by acquiring a pair of additional starters in Clay Holmes and Braxton Garrett, added another late-inning bullpen arm in Ryan Zeferjahn, and even picked up some extra outfield depth with Tyrone Taylor.

For a brief moment, it even looked like the Cubs were going to pull off an even bigger splash with Reid Detmers before that deal ultimately fell apart. Regardless, it was an incredibly active deadline for Chicago. That being said, I wasn't in love with every move they made. Let's hand out some grades.

Kevin Gausman Trade Grade: A-

Out of all the Cubs' deadline additions, this was easily my favorite.

Kevin Gausman gives Chicago something it simply didn't have, even when the rotation was fully healthy: a proven, quality right-handed starting pitcher that can be trusted in big games. He's exactly the type of veteran arm the Cubs needed heading into the stretch run. Even better, the acquisition cost wasn't overwhelming.

Chicago sent shortstop Ty Southisene, North Side Baseball's No. 15 Cubs prospect, along with outfielder Brett Bateman to Toronto. While both players have intriguing upside, neither represented the type of prospect you hesitate to move when a pitcher like Gausman becomes available. Yes, Gausman is on an expiring contract, but the Cubs didn't have to empty the farm system to get him. Considering what he projects to provide over the final two months and into October, I think this was an outstanding trade.

Clay Holmes & Tyrone Taylor Trade Grade: C-

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the Cubs' deal with the Mets.

Chicago acquired starting pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor in exchange for the organization's No. 1 prospect, shortstop Jefferson Rojas. For what it's worth, both players they brought in absolutely fill needs. Holmes should settle in nicely as a quality middle-to-back-of-the-rotation starter for the remainder of the season, and his $12 million player option for 2027 means there's at least a chance he sticks around beyond this year. Taylor also gives the Cubs a very strong short-side platoon bat in the outfield, adding another capable option against left-handed pitching.

The problem isn't the players they acquired. The problem is the price they paid. You don't trade your No. 1 prospect for those two rentals, one of whom has been injured for months and the other is, at best, a bench bat. This wasn't the only talented young player the Cubs moved at the deadline, but this deal stands out as a significant overpay. I'm all for being aggressive when you believe your championship window is open, but we're grading the value here, too.

Braxton Garrett Trade Grade: B-

I'm actually a pretty big fan of this move.

On the surface, Garrett's 2026 numbers aren't going to impress anybody, but I'm choosing to ignore those. He's only made two appearances since returning from Tommy John surgery, so it's far too early to judge what kind of pitcher he'll be moving forward. Instead, I think it's much more important to look at what he did from 2023 through 2025.

During that stretch, Garrett consistently pounded the strike zone and did an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground. That's exactly the kind of profile that can thrive as a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter, and I think it'll translate well in Chicago. I don't love giving up Jonathan Long to make it happen, but controllable starting pitching was one of the Cubs' biggest needs entering the deadline. There is certainly some risk involved with Garrett coming off a major elbow injury, which is why I can't go much higher than a B-. Still, I like the upside here.

Ryan Zeferjahn Trade Grade: B+

Last but certainly not least is the addition of reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. A lot of Cubs fans probably aren't thrilled about moving Moisés Ballesteros and Mason McGwire, and that's understandable. But Zeferjahn is another high-upside, controllable arm that has a chance to become a major piece of Chicago's bullpen.

His 3.66 ERA might not immediately jump off the page, but the underlying metrics certainly do. A 96th-percentile whiff rate and a 97th-percentile strikeout rate tell the story of a pitcher with electric stuff, while his 2.95 expected ERA suggests there may be even more production ahead. He also brings a deep five-pitch arsenal, giving the Cubs another dependable late-inning option as they gear up for a postseason push.

Moving Ballesteros and McGwire isn't ideal, but when you combine that trade with the Jefferson Rojas deal, it's obvious what message the Cubs are sending. They're all-in on winning over the next few years.

Overall Trade Deadline Grade: B

When everything is added together, I'm giving the Cubs a B for their 2026 trade deadline.

Had the Reid Detmers trade actually crossed the finish line, this grade probably jumps closer to an A-. Even without that move, though, Chicago addressed its biggest weaknesses. They added multiple starting pitchers, strengthened the bullpen, improved their outfield depth, and made it abundantly clear that they're serious about competing—not just this season, but over the next few years as well.

The biggest issue is that some of those upgrades came at an extremely steep prospect cost, particularly in the Holmes deal. Still, if these additions help the Cubs make a deep postseason run, few people will be complaining about the talent they gave up.

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What do you think of the Cubs' deadline? Which of these grades do you agree or disagree with? And which acquisition (or departure) surprised you the most?

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