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The Chicago Cubs have fallen behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central race. They are 11-7 in July, the second-best record in the National League in the month behind only the Crew. While their playoff spot is close to a guarantee, they will need reinforcements to compete for the playoffs. Even after the Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker, ESPN's Buster Olney says their MLB trade deadline key is ownership.
“But the X factor for Chicago in recent years is whether ownership operates with the same desperation — in the way that Astros owner Jim Crane did when he pushed through a Justin Verlander trade for Houston in August 2017,” Olney wrote. “This seems to be a good time for the Cubs to be desperate, to do anything to win another championship. Will a title be a priority for owner Tom Ricketts?”
The Cubs have not spent in free agency in recent years. They traded away members of the 2016 championship roster in 2021 and have not won more than 83 games since. They are on pace for a 95-win season this year and need to take advantage while they can.
Tucker will be a free agent at the end of the season. The Cubs should free up as much money as they can to keep him, as he is crushing it in the outfield for them. Plus, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch are having elite seasons and are arbitration-eligible. They need to take advantage of this season, and the trade deadline is the time to do it.
The Cubs could use a third baseman, and Eugenio Suarez may be the best player traded at the deadline. They would have to pay up to get him, but he won't impact their 2026 payroll and could help them make the World Series this year. Can the Cubs make the deal happen?
