1 sneaky potential Cubs trade target who could have huge upside in 2026

Following Shota Imanaga's departure from the roster, the Chicago Cubs' need for a frontline starting pitcher has never been more clear.

Cade Horton was great as a rookie, but has significant workload and injury concerns. Ditto for Matthew Boyd, who flamed out toward the back-half of the 2025 season while shouldering his largest volume of innings since 2019. Justin Steele, meanwhile, is an unknown commodity while recovering from elbow surgery. And Jameson Taillon, reliable though he may be, is not a No. 1 or 2 starter for a contending team.

There are plenty of available options who could fill their rotation needs, from free agents Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez to trade targets like Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan.

However, if they don't want to blow up the farm system for one player, they might find a reprieve in the form of Kansas City Royals ace Kris Bubic, who, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon, is available for the right price this winter.

Kris Bubic-Cubs fit looks shockingly perfect on paper

With Imanaga out the door and Steele's status uncertain, the Cubs' lefty-heavy rotation suddenly looks thin from that side, with Boyd representing the only locked-in option for 2026.

Bubic, 28, is a southpaw heading into his final year of team control. Most projections have him slated for a $6 million salary next year, which is wildly affordable for a pitcher who just earned his first career All-Star appearance.

In 116 1/3 innings in 2025, Bubic authored a 2.55 ERA and 2.89 FIP to go along with elite chase (32.4 percent) and whiff rates (28.8 percent). He has a deep arsenal with a handful of plus pitches, including a sweeper and changeup that generated batting averages below the Mendoza line this past season.

So, why would Kansas City be willing to part with such a talented pitcher who is so cheap? For one thing, his aforementioned final year of team control surely matters to the small-market Royals, who must focus on upgrading their offense while dealing with budget constraints this offseason.

The Royals desperately need productive outfielders to put around Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia, something the Cubs have in abundance, even without Kyle Tucker. Owen Caissie is probably too rich for one year of Bubic, but perhaps Kevin Alcantara could take over the spacious center field grounds in Kauffman Stadium.

If the Royals demand a proven major league contributor, the fit might not be as perfect. Both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are attractive pieces, sure, but both have full no-trade protection heading into their final year of team control. Regardless, the outfield is a position of strength within the organization right now.

No matter what exact details of the return look like, Bubic is a strikingly good fit for the top of the Cubs' rotation, provided he's fully recovered from the rotator cuff injury that knocked him out for the final two months of the season.