Cubs Rumors: New top five likeliest trade targets for Chicago

Jun 21, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher

(58) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Cardinals, 9-2. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

On the heels of a sweep at the hands of the worst team in Major League Baseball, the Chicago Cubs’ weaknesses were on full-display this weekend. Which pieces should they add to make a run at October?

Chicago (51-46) has now dropped six of ten and has seen its deficit in the division grow to 10 1/2 games and in the National League Wild Card race, they now sit two games back of the reigning World Series champion San Francisco Giants.

One of the most popular trade targets for the team, left-hander Cole Hamels, no-hit Chicago on Saturday at Wrigley Field and, since then, two teams – the Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers – have emerged as the front-runners for Hamels’ services.

As co-editor Nicholas Blazek pointed out Sunday afternoon, the sweep at the hands of the Phillies was easily the low-point for Joe Maddon‘s team, which is ripe with inexperience, despite their successes so far in 2015.

So if the southpaw doesn’t come to the Windy City ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, what players do Chicago stand a realistic chance of adding?

Next: Joaquin Benoit