Latest Cubs Trade Rumors: Suárez Still Top Position Player Target, Clase’s Administrative Leave Alters RP Market
The Cubs and Brewers are tied atop the NL Central and are about to start a series against one another that concludes a day before the trade deadline. High drama, indeed. Both organizations figure to be buyers with some overlapping needs, so we could see the balance of power shift dramatically one way or the other. The biggest shared target so far seems to be Eugenio Suárez, who the Cubs are reportedly still prioritizing despite Matt Shaw‘s hot stretch to start the second half.
While the club still believes in Shaw’s potential, they aren’t willing to gamble on the likelihood that he continues to hit this well over the rest of the season. At the same time, Shaw being the Cubs’ hottest hitter means Jed Hoyer doesn’t have to desperately overpay for the market’s top slugger. Many fans and readers have commented that the Cubs don’t need to improve the offense, but that’s a serious fallacy when talking about making a postseason run.
Suárez is one of MLB’s top power hitters, and teams that out-homer their opponents in the postseason win more often than not. The Cubs are good enough to win as currently constructed, but Hoyer understands that just being good enough is not good enough. Even if you subscribe to the idea that pitching and defense win championships, there’s no such thing as too much offense.
The other common misunderstanding about the Cubs’ deadline pursuits is that this will be some sort of either/or situation. Pitching has always been a big need and will be so regardless of what they do on the position-player front, so landing Suárez would not come at the expense of a starter and/or reliever. Several options remain among available starters, though the odds of acquiring either Joe Ryan or MacKenzie Gore seem to be dwindling from what were already very low starting points.
One of the most likely pitchers to be traded, and one who should be near the top of Hoyer’s wish list, is Edward Cabrera. He’s still slated to start Monday night against the Cardinals as of post time, so that’s something to keep an eye on. It’s hard to believe Miami’s front office would allow him to make that start with offers coming in, but who knows.
Mitch Keller has also been strongly connected to the Cubs for a while now, with some reports saying Owen Caissie would be part of a hypothetical deal for the controllable righty. That still feels like more of a leverage play, as giving up their top prospect for a mid-rotation starter already earning $15 million annually doesn’t seem wise. Other options include Dylan Cease, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Charlie Morton, and even Adrian Houser.
I’m not sure I really buy Houser being a target; his inclusion on this list strikes me as recency bias from his domination of the Cubs on the South Side over the weekend. Seth Lugo had been mentioned as well, especially after he likewise stifled the Cubs at Wrigley, but he just worked out an extension with the Royals that could keep him in KC through 2028.
The Cubs are also scouring the relief market, with Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma reporting their interest in Braves closer Raisel Iglesias. The 35-year-old is not having a great season from an ERA standpoint, but that and his rental status probably lowers his acquisition cost as a back-end bullpen arm. The Cubs would likely prefer to use him as a setup man for Daniel Palencia. There’s also a possibility of adding Pete Fairbanks if the Rays opt to sell.
Emmanuel Clase has long been connected to the Cubs, but his recent placement on administrative leave as part of MLB’s gambling investigation probably puts the kibosh on that or any trade. This comes shortly after Guardians teammate Luis Ortiz became the first player placed on leave for suspected gambling ties as part of this investigation after a watchdog group flagged multiple suspicious pitches tied to odd microbets.
As we await additional information, it’s interesting to note Clase’s significant increase in percentage of waste pitches on the first pitch of the 9th inning. As noted by X account Foolish Baseball, Statcast has Clase throwing waste pitches at a 17.5% rate on the first pitch, then just 5.2% out of all other pitches. Those types of microbets in question are typically placed on a single pitch, say, the first of an inning or at-bat.
The Cubs aren’t the only ones who won’t be touching Clase, so expect increased prices on other top relievers. The Twins are certainly upping their price for Jhoan Duran, who the Cubs would love to add after seeing him in person not too long ago. What is it with AL Central pitchers working the Cubs over this season? Griffin Jax is another intriguing arm with whom the Cubs are said to be “enamored.” We looked at that possibility way back in April, so definitely something to keep an eye on.
Getting Jax and making a deep run would pay off in more ways than one, as Mortal Kombat II releases in theaters on October 24. Sorry if that’s a little too esoteric.
As fun as deadline season can be for all the hype and trade proposals, July 31 can’t get here soon enough for me. It’ll be great to get back to focusing on what is rather than what might be.
