3 takeaways from Cubs' aggressive moves at Trade Deadline

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- When the smoke cleared on this year’s Trade Deadline, the Cubs stood out as one of the more aggressive teams among the buyers. Led by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, Chicago’s front office had clear boxes to check and found some solutions.

Rotation help: Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes
Bat-missing bullpen arm: Ryan Zeferjahn
Right-handed bench bat: Tyrone Taylor
Rotation depth: Braxton Garrett

“It’s a big commitment by the front office,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “And all the moves that they made, the emphasis is on the roster for this year, these next two months and beyond. I think the fans understand that. They appreciate that. And they pour that into us, too.”

1. The front office focused on ‘26
Gausman, Holmes and Taylor can all reach free agency in the coming offseason. Holmes has a player option ($12 million), but the expectation is that it will be declined. To land those three players, the Cubs shipped away highly ranked infielder Jefferson Rojas (No. 63 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list) to the Mets, and sent a pair of Top 30 prospects (outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene) to the Blue Jays.

The Cubs also traded catcher Moisés Ballesteros, who graduated from Pipeline’s rankings this year after opening the season as Chicago’s top prospect and a Top 100 player, and righty Mason McGwire (who was steadily climbing the Cubs’ Top 30 list this year) to the Angels in order to land Zeferjahn.

On the surface, that felt like a lot to give up for a reliever, but Zeferjahn is under control through 2030 and brings a swing-and-miss element to a Cubs bullpen that really needs that trait. MLB.com’s Mike Petriello had a great breakdown explaining some under-the-hood numbers that make Zeferjahn an especially intriguing addition, too.

Hoyer showed a willingness to take some risk by trading away young talent -- Ballesteros and Rojas atop the list -- to get exactly what the 2026 Cubs needed. The Major League pitching staff has been riddled with injuries and the relief corps needed an impact arm. Gausman, Holmes and Zeferjahn make the group stronger. And with Matt Shaw (15-day IL) still out with a persistent left hand injury, Taylor gives manager Craig Counsell a versus-lefties bat who can also offer sound defense around the outfield.

2. Setting up an October rotation could be interesting
Maybe the Cubs lack a surefire No. 1 starter for a playoff game, but the North Siders suddenly have multiple options. Any one of Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Gausman or Holmes could take the ball in an opener. And the depth behind them -- Edward Cabrera, David Peterson, Colin Rea and Javier Assad -- suddenly looks solid.

How many times have you heard Counsell refer to his pitchers as “out-getters” rather than assigning anyone a specific role? Well, in the postseason, and especially in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, pitchers who can handle multiple innings are crucial. If the depth stays intact through August and September, the Cubs have multiple paths for October pitching plans based on potential matchups.

Consider what someone like Holmes could do beyond starting, too. He has a track record as an All-Star closer prior to shifting into a regular starting role with the Mets, and the righty said he is willing to take on any role the Cubs ask. Having Holmes open to a fireman-type role behind Chicago’s lefty starters in October is intriguing.

3. The asking price on controllable starters was steep
If a team had starting pitching available, Hoyer said the Cubs’ front office looked into the situation. That included having conversations with the Tigers about Tarik Skubal, who ultimately went to the Dodgers. Chicago was also on the hunt for controllable rotation help, but found the acquisition cost to be too high.

The Cubs did get Garrett, who is a few years removed from a strong MLB season and is still finding his footing after a return from left elbow surgery. Chicago optioned him to Triple-A Iowa and made that trade with 2027 in mind as well.

“The Trade Deadline is such a match-making game,” Hoyer said. “Who likes your prospects? How do you line up? There’s teams you just don’t line up with, and it’s very obvious right away that this person you’re getting connected with over and over, it’s just not going to happen. That happens. It felt like with Toronto and [the Mets], it felt like we had matches. I think that’s how deals get done.”