Unless things change dramatically with this team from now til the break, id hold off on any thoughts of spending valuable assets to get Skubal for 2 months, and hold onto those assets for other possible moves in offseason.
I'd prefer they wait til offseason and just offer him Imanaga 22mil and Taillon 18 mil that coming off the book, 40 per AAV would put him 2nd behind Ohtani 70 AAV for pitchers.
If they're still hovering around 500 and chasing just a WC spot at the deadline, it probably would be best to see what they can get for guys that are going to be FA after the season. Hell, they should see if they can unload Swanson somewhere.
He shouldn't but Jed will survive another season, especially if the CBA shutdown happens.
Cubs have most of their roster intact for 2027, Ricketts can close the checkbook in the offseason and just have Jed fill in the open spots with cheap options.
Next time they need to bring Wicks up, it should be as a reliever.
Maybe he can eventually give them the 2-3 innings or once thru order, out of the pen like Brown was doing.
Cabrera is scheduled to start Saturday (wicks spot), so thatll be likely when Ferguson gets gone.
Boyd is scheduled to pitch Saturday in Iowa, so he'll likely be reinstated the following Friday in San Francisco.
Next 7 series (22 games) are against teams under 500, As Giants(2) Rockies(2) BlueJays Mets. Combined 42 games under.
If they cant turn it around completely here, not sure they will afterwards.
Good group of hitters on paper, but as a group, their inconsistencies is hurting them, and it really hurts them having 4 key hitters in that lineup laying an egg when the opportunities come to drive in runs.
Suzuki , Bregman, Hoerner, and Swanson