The Chicago Cubs got off to a strong start in April, but have really started slipping down the MLB standings in May. With the MLB trade deadline just a few months out, there’s an opportunity to improve the roster with some top Cubs trade targets who will help the team contend.
Chicago’s issues over the last month are apparent. Entering MLB games today, the team ranked 10th in ERA (3.55) in large part thanks to excellent starting pitching (3.10 ERA). However, the bullpen is 20th in ERA (4.26) and the Cubs lineup ranks 29th in OPS (.632) with a .211/.296/.336 slash line over the last month.
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Let’s examine some top Cubs trade targets who can help this club compete for a playoff spot.
Ryan Thompson, relief pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks
Improving the Cubs bullpen starts with finding stable options. There are some high-profile names out there, like Oakland Athletics closer Mason Miller, but Chicago is better off saving its top prospects to use in a trade for an everyday player to upgrade the lineup.
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Ryan Thompson, age 31, comes with several years of contract control as he’s arbitration-eligible through 2026. Not only would Chicago be landing a cost-friendly relief pitcher for its bullpen, but they would be getting far more out of Thompson than they would pay for. Thompson has held opponents to a .210 batting average this season and walked just 2.4 percent of batters faced with a 22.9 percent strikeout rate. Plus, his production dating back to the 2021 season (2.91 ERA in 130 innings pitched) provides reason to believe he’s legit.
Kenley Jansen, Boston Red Sox
ERA can be deceiving. On the surface, the 2.50 ERA and 6 saves from Hector Neris in 18 innings pitched looks good. Unfortunately for Chicago, the 34-year-old reliever is bound for regression as demonstrated by a 17.5 percent walk rate and a 5.09 expected ERA. So, two of our Cubs trade targets become relief pitchers.
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The beauty of acquiring Kenley Jansen is that it seems the Boston Red Sox primarily want to get his salary off the books. For Chicago, that means taking on about half of his remaining salary ($16 million) and then he becomes a free agent this winter. Jansen isn’t a dominant closer anymore, but the 36-year-old is striking out 30.7 percent of batters faced this season with a .188 batting average allowed and a decent 1.25 WHIP. Plus, he’ll add some playoff experience to the Cubs bullpen.
Elias Diaz, catcher, Colorado Rockies
In-season trades for a catcher are rare. In large part because of the time it takes for that player to learn how to work with the new pitching staff, something contending teams really don’t want to deal with. However, Chicago really isn’t in the position to be picky about which spots it targets to upgrade the lineup.
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Elias Diaz, who would be a half-season rental, is enjoying an All-Star-caliber season with the Colorado Rockies. The 33-year-old catcher sports a 107 wRC+ with a .304/.349/.437 slash line, 23 RBI and a 1.2 FanGraphs’ Wins Above Replacement in 44 games. That’s the perfect type of target to plug into the Cubs lineup, replacing what Miguel Amaya and Yan Gomes (-0.7 fWAR, 12 wRC+) are providing this year.
Alex Bregman, third baseman, Houston Astros
We’re still believers in Christopher Morel long-term for Chicago, but he’s not helping this team right now. Entering play on Tuesday, the Cubs’ third baseman ranked 28th in fWAR (-0.8) and 25th in OPS (.631). Plus, the 24-year-old is in the 1st percentile for Outs Above Average and Chicago ranks 28th in Defensive Runs Saved (-6) at the hot corner.
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Alex Bregman is a short-term solution. While the 30-year-old is on an expiring contract, that actually might be better for Chicago. It reduces his potential acquisition cost, because he’s a half-season rental and Chicago isn’t locked into a long-term deal if he doesn’t return to All-Star form. While Bregman is only slashing .206/.273/.317 this season across 51 games, he ranks in the 96th percentile for Outs Above Average and his track record suggests he can still be an above-average hitter.