Sam Caulder

Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Ian Happ has long been one of the most effectively boring players in baseball. Every year, it feels like you know exactly what you’re getting with him. He’s going to hit right around .250, post an on-base percentage roughly 100 points higher than his batting average, and finish with an OPS somewhere in the high-.700s. That’s the type of hitter Happ has been throughout most of his career, and it’s worked out well for the Chicago Cubs. Since 2022, Happ has posted a wRC+ of at least 113 every single season. He’s been a steady, reliable middle-of-the-order bat. Not necessarily a superstar, but the kind of player every contender needs. And while that sort of consistency might not always be exciting, that kind of production will always play at the major league level. But 2026 has been slightly different. On the surface, nothing really jumps out. His batting average has dipped down near .220, but his on-base percentage and OPS remain largely in line with what Cubs fans have come to expect. If you just glanced at the back of the baseball card, you probably wouldn’t think much of it. Under the hood, though, there’s a much more concerning trend developing. Happ’s bat-to-ball skills have seemingly taken a noticeable step backward in his age-32 season. And while he’s never been known as an elite contact hitter necessarily, there’s enough regression here to at least raise an eyebrow. In 2025, Happ’s whiff rate sat at 24.6%, just below league average. In 2026, that number has jumped all the way to 31.9%, placing him in just the 12th percentile among major-league hitters. That’s a massive change in a relatively short amount of time. Breaking balls, in particular, have given Happ fits. Despite seeing slightly fewer breaking pitches than he did a year ago, his whiff rate against them has climbed by 11.3 percentage points. That’s not a small increase, and it suggests something larger may be taking place. A couple of different factors likely drive that change. For one, Happ is chasing pitches outside the zone more than he has in previous seasons. It’s not an egregious increase, but it’s enough to make a difference over the course of hundreds of plate appearances. But beyond that, it also appears there’s been a shift in his approach. Looking at Happ’s batted-ball profile, his fly-ball rate has climbed to a career-high 45.9%, while his pull rate is as high as it’s been since his rookie season back in 2017. Those numbers paint a pretty clear picture. It appears as though Happ has placed a greater emphasis on generating power, and to be fair, it’s worked. He’s already up to 18 home runs and is on pace to eclipse his career high of 25. This is not to say that Happ’s declining bat-to-ball skills are inherently a bad thing. Clearly, the changes he’s made are producing some positive results, and for right now, that approach will play. Happ is still in the prime of his career—albeit, the back end of it—but he has enough power to make this profile work. A hitter who can draw walks, hit 25-plus home runs, and provide solid defense in left field is still a valuable player. Where I would start to worry a little bit is if this approach begins to completely define who he is. If Happ continues to chase pitches outside the strike zone more often, and continues to sell out for power at the expense of contact, eventually that’s going to catch up with him. Come October, if opposing pitchers know he’s someone who will expand the zone and chase a curveball in the dirt, you better believe that’s exactly what they’ll be feeding him. Playoff baseball is all about exploiting weaknesses, and increased swing-and-miss creates opportunities for pitchers to do just that. For now, though, it’s more interesting than alarming. Happ’s contract with the Cubs is set to expire after the 2026 season, so maybe he won’t be around long enough for fans to see whether this trend becomes a larger issue. Maybe this version of Happ remains productive for several more years, or maybe the bat-to-ball skills he's sacrificing now will be too difficult to get back at a certain age. So long as he keeps delivering impact this year, we can worry about what comes next later. View full article

Pedro Ramírez has wasted little time making an impression, combining elite contact ability, strong underlying metrics, and positional versatility to cement himself as an important part of Chicago's future. View full video

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images As we all know, Nico Hoerner hasn't been quite as indispensable for the 2026 Cubs as it looked like he might be. On the year, he’s slashing just .247/.314/.340. He doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard; he doesn’t produce many extra-base hits; and his two-month slump took him from a budding leadoff dynamo to someone being kept in the lineup by his glove and his contract. Fortunately, he's emerging from that quagmire, but he's no longer as essential to the team's offense, given the next-level season Pete Crow-Armstrong is having. Yet, while Hoerner may not be the type of player who dominates a box score, there are several things he does at an extremely high level—and when you look at the way postseason baseball is played, he could quietly be one of the biggest reasons why the Cubs do—or don’t—make a serious run this October. There’s reason to believe he’s been better than his stats indicate. Hoerner’s expected batting average sits at .289, more than 40 points higher than his actual mark. His squared-up rate ranks in the 98th percentile among major-league hitters, showing that even though he doesn’t consistently produce elite exit velocities, he’s still finding ways to make quality contact. His bat-to-ball skills remain among the best in baseball; his whiff rate and strikeout rate both rank in the 98th percentile or better. He's walking more than he’s striking out this season. That’s the type of skill set that can become incredibly important in October. Postseason games are often decided by small margins. One extended at-bat, one baserunner created out of nowhere or one mistake avoided can completely change the outcome of a game. Hoerner has built his career around those types of plays. And while his offensive numbers haven’t been what many expected, his ability to consistently put the ball in play gives the Cubs another tough at-bat in their lineup. If he's now getting back to being that .290 hitter with patience and a modicum of gap power, he rapidly becomes a major threat again. Throughout his career, Hoerner has been one of the more dangerous baserunners in baseball. While his sprint speed may not quite be what it once was, he still ranks among the better athletes at his position. He’s stolen at least 29 bases in each of the last three seasons, showcasing his ability to change games without needing to drive the ball over the fence. That type of pressure can completely alter the way pitchers attack hitters. A single can turn into a runner in scoring position. A routine ground ball can become a potential scoring opportunity. Defenses have to play differently when they know a player has the ability to take an extra base. Those are the things that don’t always show up in traditional statistics, but they matter. The same can be said for Hoerner’s defense. This season, he ranks in the 99th percentile in Outs Above Average, continuing to show why the Cubs value him so highly on that side of the ball. Organizations around baseball have placed a greater emphasis on defense in recent years, and that’s a big part of why the Cubs committed to Hoerner for the next six years. As the saying goes, defense wins championships. While that may sound cliché, there’s a reason it continues to be repeated. In the postseason, one defensive mistake can be the difference between moving on and going home. Having a player like Hoerner, who can consistently turn difficult plays into outs, gives the Cubs a level of stability that becomes even more important in high-pressure moments. His own defensive miscue cost the team the game Monday night, but that only underscores the importance of his skill set, and on balance, he's less likely to have such a costly hiccup than almost anyone else in the league. Perhaps the most encouraging sign for the Cubs is that Hoerner has already shown he can elevate his game when the lights get brighter. During last year’s postseason run, he was one of Chicago’s biggest contributors. Across the Cubs’ eight playoff games, Hoerner went 13-for-31, collecting as many extra-base hits as strikeouts. He didn’t try to become a different player. You need that from your veterans. Hoerner may not always receive the same attention as some of the Cubs’ biggest names, but if Chicago is going to make a deep postseason run, he’s going to have a major role in it. He’s the kind of player who can quietly change a game, and that makes him one of the Cubs’ biggest X-factors heading down the stretch. View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images Michael Busch has quietly become a clearly first-division—and maybe a fringe All-Star—first baseman. Since the Cubs acquired him from the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, he's become a fixture, culminating in a breakout 2025 campaign that looked like the arrival of a true middle-of-the-order star. But after taking that massive leap forward, his production has come back down a bit in 2026. The big question now is whether Busch can rediscover the version of himself that broke out in 2025, or if that season will ultimately go down as the offensive outlier of his career. That question, of course, centers on his power. Busch's 34 home runs ranked sixth among all National League hitters last year, and his .866 OPS led all Cubs. Everything seemed to click. He's never had the bat speed you'd expect from an elite slugger, but by hitting the ball in the air a lot (and particularly pulling it in the air a lot), he still produced like one. This year, he's neither pulling nor lifting as often, with predictable results. After homering for the second time since the All-Star break Monday night, he's currently slashing .245/.370/.409. That’s still a perfectly respectable line, especially considering the value that comes with getting on base as often as Busch does. But when they're compared to what he accomplished a season ago, it's hard not to view this year as a step backward. The biggest difference—the source being a further downtick in bat speed, and related to the inability to get around and beneath the ball—is the quality of his contact. He's not hitting the baseball nearly as hard. Last season, Busch posted a 92.2 MPH average exit velocity. This year, that number has fallen to 88.3 MPH. His hard-hit rate has fallen substantially. He's generating far less consistently loud contact than he did during his breakout season, and it's reflected in the power numbers. Right now (probably not because of a conscious adjustment, but because he hasn't had the same easy bat speed or feel for the barrel), he's more of an all-fields line-drive hitter. Even though his power production has dipped, the foundation that made Busch successful in the first place remains very much intact. He's still one of the more selective hitters in baseball, and if anything, those skills have actually improved. His walk rate has climbed to 14.7% after sitting at 9.5% last season, and despite his batting average being 16 points lower than it was in 2025, his on-base percentage is actually 27 points higher. His contact rates have improved as well. Pitchers aren't going to make this easy on him. Less than half of the pitches Busch is seeing this season are actually landing inside the strike zone, meaning fewer opportunities to generate premium contact. After watching him launch 34 home runs last season, the league isn't nearly as willing to give him pitches he can drive. That's life for good hitters. One reading of this season in sequence would be that Busch has undergone a prolonged adjustment to being pitched very differently. He had to learn not to get himself out when the hittable fastball never comes, and while he was doing so, he gave up a bit of his aggressiveness and lost the pull-side launch that makes him so dangerous at his best. Lately, there are signs that he's rediscovered the timing and the connection of bat to ball to drive it in the air to right field, and if he does that as often as he did last year, he might get right back to hitting for huge power. We need a little more extended success before we can be confident that that's where things are trending, though. View full article

Image courtesy of © Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images It’s hard to not be pleased with Pedro Ramírez’s first cup of coffee in the majors. The 22-year-old has made a very strong impression since he made his debut with the Cubs back in late May, quickly showing why the organization has been so high on his bat throughout his development. Through his first 71 plate appearances in the majors, Ramírez is slashing .281/.329/.438, good for a 110 wRC+. Those numbers are impressive enough on their own, especially for a player adjusting to the highest level of competition for the first time. But what makes Ramírez’s early success even more encouraging is that his production has been backed up by strong underlying numbers. No, he hasn’t continued hitting an extra-base hit every other game (like he did at Triple-A); nor should anyone have expected him to. That type of production is nearly impossible to sustain against major-league pitching, and Ramírez doesn't have that kind of power. But the quality of his at-bats and the quality of his contact have carried over, which is a much better indicator of whether his success is legitimate. Ramírez’s average exit velocity of 89.2 MPH and hard-hit rate of 42.9% are both right around league average, which is impressive considering his 5-foot-9 frame. (It's worth noting that, though officially listed at 165 pounds, he's clearly more like 180.) He isn’t a player who is going to attack pitches with raw strength and vaporize the ball, but he's shown he can consistently square up baseballs. His bat speed is a big reason why. Ramírez’s average bat speed of 72.6 MPH is above the league average, which gives him the ability to catch up to high-velocity fastballs while maintaining the plate discipline and contact skills that have always been a major part of his profile. After all, that's what Ramírez is truly known for. Throughout his professional career, Ramírez has always been an elite contact hitter with an impressive ability to avoid strikeouts. That skill has translated immediately to the majors, where his strikeout rate sits at just 14.9%, one of the better marks in baseball. His ability to make contact inside the strike zone has been even more impressive, as his zone contact rate sits at 93.3%. Ramírez gets the bat on the ball, and when he does, good things tend to happen. Given his batted-ball profile, there’s reason to believe this early success is sustainable. Ramírez has never been a player who relies on hitting towering fly balls or selling out for power. Instead, he consistently puts quality swings on pitches and uses the entire field. Through his first few months with the Cubs, 65% of the balls he has put in play have been either ground balls or line drives. That number was even higher at Triple-A, where 69% of his batted balls fell into those two categories. He doesn’t try to do too much at the plate. He doesn’t chase home runs or try to pull every pitch. He simply takes what pitchers give him and finds ways to get on base. In that regard, he is very similar to his Cubs teammate Nico Hoerner. Neither player is known for overwhelming power, but both are smart hitters who consistently put the ball in play, control the strike zone, and find holes in the defense. In today’s game, where power has become such a major focus, that type of offensive profile can sometimes be overlooked. But players who consistently create quality at-bats still have plenty of value. Ramírez, like Hoerner, also brings an element of speed that adds another layer to his offensive game. He can pressure defenses on the basepaths, take extra bases, and turn singles into scoring opportunities. That athleticism only adds to his overall offensive profile. At just 22 years old, Ramírez already looks like a hitter who is well beyond his years. The bat should keep him in the Cubs’ lineup (at least part of the time; his right-handed swing is far behind his left-handed one) for a long time. The biggest question surrounding his long-term future is where he fits defensively. Ramírez has moved around the diamond throughout his professional career, but he has spent the most time at second base and third base. However, he hasn’t exactly established himself as a standout defender at either position. More importantly, both spots appear to be occupied for the foreseeable future. Hoerner has second base locked down, while Alex Bregman gives the Cubs a long-term option at third base. Ramírez has also seen time at shortstop and left field, but Dansby Swanson is locked in for the long haul at short, which Ramírez is not quite good enough to play at the highest level, anyway; and left field would place a heavy demand on that bat. Because of that, it’s possible Ramírez eventually settles into more of a platoon DH role, while still moving around the field when needed. He started at DH on both Saturday and Sunday. The Cubs don’t need Ramírez to be a Gold Glove-caliber defender if he continues to provide the type of offensive value he has shown early in his career. His versatility gives Craig Counsell more flexibility, and his bat gives the lineup another consistent presence. Regardless of where he ultimately ends up defensively, Ramírez has flashed a lot of upside over the last two months. He’s a hitter with a well-rounded offensive skill set, impressive bat-to-ball ability, and the approach needed to succeed at the highest level. While his defensive future is a little less clear, his offensive profile is exactly the type of player teams look for. There's a lot to like here, and whether he does it via direct contributions or as a valuable trade chip, he looks poised to help the team both this season and beyond. View full article

The Cubs may not want to move Matt Shaw, but their crowded outfield and pitching struggles create an interesting trade possibility involving the young slugger. View full video

Image courtesy of © Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs sit 12 games above .500 coming out of the All-Star Break, and all things considered, that's pretty impressive. The pitching staff has been absolutely decimated by injuries—you could almost put together an entire pitching staff just from the names currently on the injured list. Despite that, Chicago has managed to stay firmly entrenched in the playoff picture. A lot of that has been thanks to an offense that's been one of the best in baseball, along with several pitchers stepping up when the team has needed them most. And yet, there are still a few key players who haven't quite looked like themselves this season. If the Cubs are going to make a legitimate run in October, they're going to need those players to turn things around over the second half. So with that, here are three Cubs that I believe are in line for big second halves. Nico Hoerner The first name on the list is Nico Hoerner. Hoerner got off to an extremely strong start to the season. Over the first month, he was hitting .307 with an .855 OPS and a 137 wRC+, looking every bit like one of the most complete middle infielders in baseball. Unfortunately for the Cubs, that success didn't last. Fast-forward to the All-Star break, and Hoerner is hitting just .233 with a .631 OPS and a 79 wRC+, making him comfortably below league average offensively. Even with those struggles, though, there are plenty of reasons to believe a turnaround is coming. For starters, the underlying metrics paint a much more optimistic picture than the traditional numbers do. Hoerner owns a .284 expected batting average, which is dramatically higher than his actual mark, and his expected slugging percentage also sits comfortably above his current production. That suggests he's been one of the more unlucky hitters in baseball this season, and beyond the expected numbers, he's still Nico Hoerner. His bat-to-ball skills remain among the very best in the sport. He ranks in the 98th percentile in whiff rate and the 100th percentile in strikeout rate, meaning almost nobody puts the bat on the ball more consistently than he does. Pair that with his exceptional defense at second base, and it's easy to see why the Cubs handed him a lucrative extension earlier this year. The underlying data would indicate that Hoerner has simply gotten extremely unlucky at the plate, and eventually, that kind of bad fortune tends to even itself out. I fully expect a big second half from the Cubs' second baseman. Matthew Boyd The next player who needs to step up is Matthew Boyd. And to be fair, Boyd deserves a little bit of leeway. Despite carrying a 4.50 ERA into the second half, his season took a bizarre turn back in early May when he tore his meniscus after sitting down to play with his kids. He was just trying to be a good dad—such a cruel world. Even outside of the injury, though, 2026 has been a frustrating season for Boyd. The encouraging part is that his actual stuff still looks really good. His whiff rate and chase rate both rank in at least the 78th percentile among major-league pitchers, showing that hitters are still having plenty of trouble squaring him up when they swing. He's also continued doing what he's always done well, which is throwing strikes and attacking the zone. The biggest issue has simply been the quality of contact when hitters do connect. His hard-hit rate ranks all the way down in the fourth percentile, while his barrel rate and average exit velocity aren't much better. That's obviously not ideal. At the same time, Boyd's 3.58 FIP suggests he's been considerably better than his ERA would indicate and that he has suffered from some poor luck on balls in play. He's also looked much sharper since returning from the injured list. Across four starts after coming back, Boyd has allowed just seven earned runs over 22 innings, giving the Cubs exactly the kind of stability they've desperately needed in an injury-riddled rotation. Health permitting, Matthew Boyd feels like someone who's in line for a nice second half. And with how banged up the Cubs' starting rotation has been all year, they'll absolutely need it. Alex Bregman The third and final player I'll mention is, of course, Alex Bregman. After signing a massive five-year, $175 million contract this offseason, it hasn't exactly been the start in Chicago that Bregman envisioned. He's hitting just .241 with a sub-.700 OPS, and unlike Hoerner, the underlying metrics don't really suggest he's been the victim of bad luck. Both his expected batting average and expected slugging percentage are actually three points lower than his current numbers, while several of his quality-of-contact metrics rank among the worst of his career. So, this prediction is definitely more speculation than it is data-driven. But sometimes history matters. Throughout his career, Bregman has consistently been a much better hitter during the second half of the season. His career second-half slash line sits at .284/.372/.508, which is comfortably better than his .260/.356/.446 line before the All-Star Break. For whatever reason, Bregman always seems to hit the ball harder, reach base more often, and perform at a higher level once the calendar creeps closer to October. Maybe 2026 ends up being the exception. Maybe this is simply the beginning of a long-term decline. But I'm not quite ready to believe that yet. Instead, I'm betting on another classic Bregman second-half surge over the final two-and-a-half months of the regular season. If that happens, it'll give the Cubs another dangerous bat in an already-loaded lineup and make them an even tougher team to deal with once October arrives. View full article

With the Cubs' bullpen battered by injuries, adding relief help should be a top priority. Alex Lange, Victor Vodnik, and Keaton Winn are three intriguing trade targets who could help stabilize the late innings. View full video

Image courtesy of © Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images One of the most intriguing things about this year’s trade deadline is the wide variety of shapes potential deals could take. Not every move is going to be a straightforward contender adding a rental player for a playoff push. Some teams could look to make bigger-picture moves, trading talented young players who don’t necessarily fit their long-term plans in exchange for help at a more pressing position. Chicago Cubs utility man Matt Shaw is the quintessential example of that type of player. On the surface, trading Shaw seems like a ridiculous idea. He won’t even be arbitration-eligible until 2029 and could still be viewed as a key part of the Cubs’ future. However, the North Siders also have crowded infield and outfield situations and a desperate need to improve their pitching staff without weakening an already-thin farm system. Because of that, Shaw could become available in the right deal. The keyword there, though, is "right." Chicago wouldn’t be looking to move Shaw for a short-term upgrade or a rental player. If they were to make a move, it would need to bring back a controllable starting pitcher who could help anchor the rotation for years to come. For a team willing to make that type of offer, Shaw could quickly become one of the more attractive trade targets on the market. After a difficult rookie season, Shaw has taken some noticeable steps forward in 2026. He’s currently slashing .246/.322/.415, with his OPS sitting nearly 50 points higher than where it was last season. While those numbers may not jump off the page, the underlying improvements have been encouraging. Shaw’s strikeout rate has dropped, he’s making more consistent contact, and he has done a much better job of avoiding pitches outside of the strike zone. Overall, he has looked much more comfortable at the plate compared to a year ago. That improvement has been especially important considering everything else the 24-year-old has had to deal with this season. After spending most of his career in the infield, Shaw has been forced to adjust to a new position in right field. That transition, as well as two separate stints on the injured list, have made for some adversity, but the results have been much better than many expected. He currently grades out as an above-average right fielder in both range and arm value, and his athleticism has been a major reason why the transition has gone smoothly. Shaw’s 91st percentile sprint speed allows him to cover plenty of ground in the outfield, and it also makes him a legitimate threat once he reaches base. His ability to take an extra base adds another element to his overall game. Meanwhile, their pitching staff has been absolutely decimated by injuries. The Cubs currently have 12 pitchers on the injured list, enough to nearly build an entire rotation and bullpen out of unavailable arms. Adding pitching help has to be one of their biggest priorities. However, because Shaw is still under team control for several years, this wouldn’t be a move made simply to patch a short-term problem. The return would need to address a long-term weakness. That’s why a team like the Cleveland Guardians immediately stands out as a potential trade partner. Cleveland currently sits at 51-46 and remains firmly in the playoff picture, but their outfield production has been a concern. Their current right fielder, Kahlil Watson, has posted an OPS of just .562 this season. Watson is still young and has plenty of time to develop, but adding someone like Shaw would immediately give the Guardians more offensive flexibility and likely better short-term production. Additionally, Cleveland’s lineup features only one true right-handed hitter in its everyday group. Adding Shaw would give them another right-handed option and allow them to play matchups more effectively. The question, of course, is what the Cubs would want in return. A player like Tanner Bibee could be the type of arm Chicago targets. Bibee recently signed a five-year, $48 million extension with Cleveland that runs through 2030, and the structure of that deal could make him appealing to the Cubs. The contract is back-loaded, meaning Chicago would not be paying him more than $7.4 million annually until 2029. That gives them a quality starting pitcher without taking on a massive financial commitment immediately. Bibee, who is 27 years old, owns a career 3.90 ERA and profiles as a dependable middle-of-the-rotation starter, exactly the type of pitcher the Cubs need. Would Cleveland actually move him? That’s a different question. The Guardians are known for their ability to develop pitchers, and losing Bibee wouldn’t completely cripple their plans. They have consistently found ways to build a strong pitching staff, which could likely make them more willing to consider a deal involving a controllable starter. If a trade like this happened, it’s possible one side (more than likely the Cubs) would need to add a prospect or cash considerations to balance things out. But the framework of a Shaw-for-Bibee deal is at least interesting. The Cubs may ultimately decide that keeping Shaw is the better move given their long list of impending free agents. And yet, in the here and now, their need for pitching help could mean trading Matt Shaw is not nearly as unrealistic as it may sound. If the Cubs can turn an outfielder they don’t necessarily need into a controllable starting pitcher they desperately do, it’s a move worth considering. View full article

Agree on all of that, you don't want Vodnik (or Winn) tasked with shutting games down. Ideally, the bullpen is close to full health come October, but that likely won't happen. Thanks for reading

Image courtesy of © Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs currently own the fourth-best record in the National League, and despite sitting five games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, they're firmly entrenched in the playoff picture. To maintain that position, though, they'll need to address their pitching staff before the August 3 MLB trade deadline. The Cubs' 4.33 team ERA ranks 21st, and while injuries to the starting rotation have played a major role in that, the bullpen has also been absolutely decimated. Within the last few weeks, Chicago has lost Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia and Ethan Roberts to the injured list. Those three join Hunter Harvey, Porter Hodge, Shelby Miller and Riley Martin, giving the Cubs an injury list that looks a lot like their bullpen plan coming into the season. Pitching wins games in October, and more specifically, late-game pitching can be the difference between advancing and going home. With that in mind, here are three relief pitchers the Cubs could target to reinforce their bullpen for a postseason run. Alex Lange The Royals have been arguably the most disappointing team in baseball this season, sitting at just 38-59, and Lange himself hasn't exactly put together a dominant campaign. His 5.92 ERA isn't going to grab anyone's attention, and the command issues have certainly been real. Still, I think his numbers deserve a little more context. Despite the inflated ERA, Lange owns a much more encouraging 3.97 FIP, suggesting he's pitched better than the surface-level results indicate. There have certainly been some bad breaks mixed in with the command issues. More importantly, this is someone with legitimate late-inning experience. Lange recorded 26 saves with the Detroit Tigers back in 2023, his last fully healthy season, and he's already picked up eight saves with Kansas City this year. That kind of experience has value, especially for a team that could be playing plenty of close games down the stretch. There's also a lot to like from a stuff standpoint. His slider, sinker and changeup all come with strong movement profiles, giving him multiple weapons capable of missing barrels when he's around the strike zone. The 12% walk rate is definitely something to keep an eye on. That's probably what keeps him from immediately stepping into the ninth inning if he were traded. Instead, he'd likely fit best in a sixth- or seventh-inning role while giving manager Craig Counsell another experienced high-leverage option to lean on. Add in the fact that Lange still has two more years of team control after this season, and he becomes an intriguing buy-low candidate. It wouldn't be the flashiest acquisition at the deadline, but Lange is someone who makes a lot of sense for the Cubs. A former top draft pick by the Cubs, he'd be coming full-circle, professionally. Victor Vodnik In a lot of ways, Vodnik profiles similarly to Lange. The surface-level numbers don't immediately stand out, and like Lange, he's walked more hitters than you'd like. But there's also a lot happening beneath the surface that's very encouraging for the Rockies’ right-hander. For starters, Vodnik has done an excellent job of limiting hard contact. Both his hard-hit rate and barrel rate rank in at least the 62nd percentile among all major-league pitchers, and he's generating ground balls on more than half of the balls put in play against him. That's a very strong combination for any reliever. If hitters aren't squaring you up consistently and they're pounding the ball into the ground, you're usually setting yourself up for long-term success. He's also been throwing much better recently. Over his last seven appearances, Vodnik has surrendered just one run while showing much better command than he did earlier in the season. For someone who routinely touches 99 MPH with his fastball, there's plenty of upside still waiting to be unlocked. And, of course, it's fair to wonder what his numbers might look like if he wasn't pitching half of his games at Coors Field. A move away from baseball's most hitter-friendly environment could make an immediate impact on his production. Like Lange, Vodnik also comes with multiple years of team control, making him more than just a rental for 2026. Victor Vodnik is another reliever who could quietly make a real difference in Chicago's bullpen down the stretch. Keaton Winn Of the three pitchers mentioned here, Winn would require the biggest return in a trade. He's been the best performer of the group this season. Across 32 innings with the Giants, Winn owns an impressive 3.09 ERA, while posting 26 strikeouts against 10 walks. Unlike Lange and Vodnik, command isn't much of a concern here. He's also under team control for quite a while, with another year of pre-arbitration eligibility remaining before he even reaches arbitration. That kind of long-term control significantly boosts his value. Beyond the results, the underlying metrics are outstanding. Winn has been one of baseball's best pitchers at generating soft contact. His average exit velocity and hard-hit rate both rank in the 95th percentile or better among all major-league pitchers, while his barrel rate sits in the 88th percentile. That's exactly the type of profile contenders love adding to the back end of a bullpen. He throws strikes, he throws hard, and he keeps the ball on the ground. Those are three traits that generally translate well in high-leverage situations—especially in October, when every baserunner matters. Winn would give the Cubs another legitimate late-inning weapon capable of helping them make a deep postseason run. Whether the Cubs decide to target a proven veteran like Alex Lange, take a chance on the upside of Victor Vodnik, or pay a little more for someone like Keaton Winn, it's hard to imagine them making a serious run in October without adding bullpen help. Chicago has positioned themselves to be a legitimate playoff team in 2026, but if the front office wants to maximize this opportunity, reinforcing the bullpen has to be one of the organization's top priorities over the next few weeks. Those are three relief pitchers I think the Cubs could look to acquire before the trade deadline. Let me know down in the comments which relievers you'd like to see the Cubs go after! View full article