4 Cubs trade acquisitions who can be targeted for 2027 and beyond

It goes without saying at this point that the Chicago Cubs are going to be on the hunt for pitching help ahead of the trade deadline, which is now a matter of days away. The only questions that remain surround who exactly they'll bring in, and what they'll have to give up in order to get those deals done. Prices tend to be quite high at the deadline, and in the past that's led president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and his front office to focus mostly on rentals like Jeimer Candelario and Michael Soroka.

That's not always been the case, however, as Hoyer's front office once used the deadline as a way to proactively address a need in the past when they traded Christopher Morel, Hunter Bigge, and Ty Johnson to the Rays in order to land controllable third baseman Isaac Paredes. While Paredes himself didn't stick around beyond the end of the 2024 season thanks to the Kyle Tucker trade, could Hoyer look to recreate that deal on the pitching side in the coming days?

The reasons for the Cubs to target controllable pitching are obvious. The team has clearly been unwilling to pay top-of-the-market prices for starting pitching in free agency as they've sat out the markets for arms like Max Fried. On top of that, Chicago is set to lose Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and possibly Colin Rea to free agency this offseason. With so much pitching to replace, getting a head start makes sense. Here's four targets who could make sense:

Reid Detmers could bring strikeout stuff to the Cubs rotation

Angels lefty Reid Detmers might just be the perfect deadline addition for the Cubs. Controlled through 2028, the lefty would immediately become the club's best healthy starter. His 4.05 ERA this year may not be all that impressive, but it comes with studly peripherals. Detmers is one of just 15 pitchers with a K-BB% of at least 20, a trait he shares with the games most elite arms like Chris Sale, Paul Skenes, and Cristopher Sanchez.

Detmers would surely come at a hefty cost for the Cubs, but the 27-year-old would be well worth it if putting him in front of the Cubs' elite defense could help him play closer to his phenomenal peripheral numbers. Even as-is, he'd be a huge upgrade to the Cubs' playoff rotation for 2026 and give them one less hole in the rotation to worry about headed into 2027.

What's more, it appears the Cubs have exactly what the Angels are looking for in a trade. A recent report from Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic suggests that the Halos are looking for catching help in exchange for Detmers. Whether it's helium prospect Owen Ayers or perhaps even backup catcher Miguel Amaya, the Cubs have catching to spare and could find themselves in strong position to make a deal.

Jose Soriano's ground ball profile is a perfect fit at Wrigley Field

Detmers isn't the only controllable Angels arm the Cubs could have real interest in. Ground balling righty Jose Soriano is also an attractive trade candidate. Also 27 years old and controlled through 2028, Soriano brings a different profile than Detmers. He trades the strikeouts for grounders, with an incredible 59.3% ground ball rate for his career. While it's dropped a few points this year, he remains a good bet to play well in front of Chicago's double play combo of Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson.

What Soriano lacks in strikeout stuff and control (with just a 13.8 K-BB%), he makes up for in actual production. His 3.43 ERA through 21 starts this year is not only more than half a run better than Detmers, but is better than the production the Cubs have gotten from any of their starters this year outside of the injured Ben Brown. The Angels are likely to have similar goals with a Soriano trade as a Detmers trade, meaning the Cubs would remain a strong fit as a trade partner.

Emerson Hancock could come to the Cubs in a swap of big league talent

The Mariners aren't exactly a traditional seller. They fell just one game short of the World Series last year, and while it's been a difficult 2026 season for the club weak results across the AL have left them in spitting distance of a playoff spot all the same. As a result of their middle-ground position, the Mariners might finally be willing to deal from their vaunted pitching corps in exchange for big league ready help on offense.

The latest buzz has indicated that the arm they're dangling right now is righty Emerson Hancock, who is in the midst of a career year and is controlled through 2030. If the Cubs think this year's production (3.16 ERA and 3.72 FIP through 19 starts) is at all sustainable for the righty, this is a deal they should be jumping on the chance to get done.

Rosenthal and Sammon have reported that the Mariners are looking for right-handed hitting help in any deal for Hancock. While the duo floated the possibility of Seiya Suzuki as a possible return, he's surely too important to the Cubs lineup to give up at this point. With that said, anyone from Matt Shaw to Kevin Alcantara to even newly-promoted utility man James Triantos could be a possible solution to the Mariners' needs in the right deal.

Jeff Hoffman transform the back of the Cubs' bullpen... if the Jays are willing to deal

Most of the concern about the Cubs' pitching, both in the long and short-term, has been focused on the starting rotation. That's understandable given all the injuries and impending free agent departures, but Hoyer and his front office would do well not to lose sight of a needy bullpen as well. Most of the recent bullpen buzz has surrounded the Mets and especially righty Luke Weaver, and Weaver would be a strong fit. But is there a more intriguing option available in the AL?

The Blue Jays fell just one game short in the World Series last year, but it's been a brutal season despite additions to the roster like Dylan Cease and Kazuma Okamoto. Most of the offense (including Vladimir Guerrero Jr) has struggled badly, and the Jays are going to need some bats to get back into the playoff picture for 2027. The Cubs have a plethora of young hitters and could surely help that cause, if they're willing to move someone like bullpen veteran Jeff Hoffman in exchange.

The 33-year-old righty has an unimpressive 4.30 ERA this year, but a look beyond the surface level results reveals a potentially dominant arm to be had. His eye-popping 33.5% strikeout rate this year ranks 11th among qualified relievers this year, and five of the ten ahead of him walk more batters than he does. Controlled through 2027, it's easy to imagine him settling in with the Cubs to become the veteran presence Chicago hoped Phil Maton could be before his injury-plagued season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow