After playing 101 games of the 2024 season, the Chicago Cubs are 10 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. That appears to be an insurmountable deficit. However, the Cubs are just 3.5 games back in the National League Wild Card standings.
Of course, the NL Wild Card race is a bit of a cluster with eight teams within four games of the final postseason berth. The Cubs would need to leapfrog five teams to land the coveted playoff spot.
Difficult a task as that may be, there are three sneaky players the Cubs could target at the MLB trade deadline that would give the team a chance to reach the playoffs for the first time since the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign.
This is not the season the Cubs envisioned. The team has laid out some serious cash over the last couple years, inking long-term deals with Dansby Swanson (seven years, $177 million), Seiya Suzuki (five years, $85 million), Jameson Taillon (four years, $68 million) and Cody Bellinger (one year, $30 million with player options for 2025 and 2026).
These contracts contributed to Chicago’s payroll ballooning up to $227.5 million, which is the seventh highest in baseball this year. Clearly the investment is there. Unfortunately, the results haven’t followed.
The Cubs haven’t made the postseason for three straight years and haven’t won a single playoff game since 2017. Chicago is unlikely to break that streak this year. That’s especially true if the Cubs decide not to add players at the trade deadline, as reported by MLB.com.
The biggest question facing the team as the deadline nears is if the Cubs will become sellers. Teams have expressed interest in outfielder Cody Bellinger. The veteran slugger hit the injured list with a broken finger on July 11. While he’s not expected to be back in action before the deadline, a trade for Bellinger isn’t out of the question.
If the Cubs hold onto Bellinger, the team has an opportunity to add to areas of immediate need. An upgrade to the bullpen, specifically a pitcher that can handle closer duties, and a catcher that can hit would go a long way toward improving Chicago’s chances of making the playoffs this year.
A second-half push is not out of the question. The Cubs have the easiest rest of season schedule by opponent winning percentage, per FanGraphs. And the team has won nine of its last 14 games, including a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles.
Chicago undoubtedly has talent. A couple Cubs rookies have shown a ton of promise in their debut seasons with the team. Starting pitcher Shota Imanaga and first baseman Michael Busch both hit the ground running, establishing a foundation for Chicago’s future.
Imanaga has been the team’s best pitcher in the first half of the season, making the All-Star team and leading a solid Cubs rotation. The lefty ace has an 8-2 record along with a 2.86 ERA, 1.067 WHIP, 108 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched and an ERA+ of 147. Imanaga’s 2.5 fWAR is tops on the team.
The number two Cubs’ player by fWAR? That would be Michael Busch. Since joining Chicago via trade in the offseason, the 26-year-old has impressed. He made the opening day roster and tied the franchise record by homering in five consecutive games – a streak that started in just his 12th game as a Cub. In 94 games this season, Busch has 21 doubles, 12 home runs, 47 runs scored and a .817 OPS.
Still it’s clear that the efforts of the team as currently constructed won’t be enough to contend in 2024. Even with the return of injured players like Julian Merryweather the Cubs need to add talent at the trade deadline to give themselves a shot. Here are three sneaky targets Chicago should consider pursuing.
The Cubs should add catcher Shea Langeliers
While the Cubs have been linked to the Colorado Rockies’ Elias Diaz and the Toronto Blue Jays’ Danny Jansen, two catchers on expiring contracts who would represent a significant offensive upgrade, the Oakland Athletics’ Shea Langeliers is a sneaky alternative. In fact, Langeliers has been the better offensive catcher of the three.
Langeliers would be an excellent fit for the Cubs, who are starved for production from the catcher position. The A’s backstop has shown the ability to hit for power. He’s up to 18 home runs and 52 RBI in 85 games this season and he launched 22 homers last year for Oakland in 135 games. His .439 slugging percentage in 2024 is a marked improvement over current Cubs’ catcher Miguel Amaya, who’s hit just three long balls this season and is slugging a mere .302.
The A’s are expected to enter full fire sale mode at this year’s trade deadline as the team plays out another dreadful season before its temporary move to Sacramento for the 2025 season. And Oakland has the players to replace Langeliers as backup catcher Kyle McCann has played very well in limited time, slashing .298/.389/.457. In addition to McCann, the A’s also have 22-year-old catcher Tyler Soderstrom who Oakland selected 26th overall in the 2020 MLB draft.
While Langeliers, 26, is only making $745K this season, he hits pre-arbitration next year and enters full arbitration in 2026. So Oakland could be convinced to part with the catcher for the right prospects, especially considering the team has two other talented, young backstops on the roster.
Bolster the bullpen at the deadline with Carlos Estevez
There are a number of solid relief pitchers expected to be available at the trade deadline. While the A’s could hold onto young star Mason Miller and the Miami Marlins’ Tanner Scott has a number of suitors that will drive up the asking price, the Cubs could still land a closer who would make the team formidable.
The Los Angeles Angels’ Carlos Estevez would be a great target for Chicago. While he's a tier down from the top relievers on the block, there's still significant interest in Estevez at the trade deadline. But the Cubs have the ammo to land the pitcher with seven players ranked in MLB.com's top 100 prospects. A deal could be made. The question is if Chicago is willing to mortgage its future to chase a ring this year.
The 31-year-old veteran has performed well for a losing team this season. He’s posted a 2.53 ERA and 18 saves to go along with a minuscule 0.781 WHIP while accumulating 1.5 WAR in 32 appearances for the Angels in 2024. His ERA+ of 168 is the best of his career.
Estevez would be an instant upgrade over Cubs’ closer Hector Neris and his presence would transform Chicago’s bullpen from a position of weakness to one of strength. Estevez is also on an expiring contract, making just $6.75 million this season before hitting free agency in 2025.
If the Cubs decide to get greedy and grab two top bullpen arms at the deadline, perhaps a reunion with Aroldis Chapman would be of interest. Chapman was last with Chicago when the team won the 2016 World Series.
It’s true that Chapman is no longer the dominant closer he once was. His numbers this season (4.04 ERA, 1.570 WHIP, 32 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched) don’t jump out. But Chapman can still reach triple digits with his fastball. And just last year he posted an incredible 15.9 K/9 and a 3.09 ERA in 58.1 innings. He may no longer be a top-of-the-line closer but he could certainly improve a bullpen in a setup role.
Of course, making a deal with Chapman’s Pittsburgh Pirates might prove difficult. Not only are the two teams in the same division but Pittsburgh has a legitimate chance of making the postseason this year. However, Chapman has had a bit of a down season for the Pirates and he’s making $10.5 million this year before hitting free agency in 2025. So it’s possible Pittsburgh is open to unloading the 36-year-old flamethrower. If a deal can be reached, a return to Chicago could reinvigorate Chapman and help the Cubs with a much needed second-half push.
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