4 Cubs trade targets who already need to be on Jed Hoyer's shopping list

The calendar is inching closer and closer to MLB trade deadline season, but the injuries the Chicago Cubs have faced with their pitching staff have already led to speculation starting. As was the case last summer, the Cubs need a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher.

Last summer, the Cubs were just overtaken by the Milwaukee Brewers at the deadline, and the trade for Michael Soroka felt like an uncomfortable reality that Jed Hoyer and Co. did not have their chips pushed to the middle of the table.

Here are the starting pitching targets the Cubs need to have on their shopping list

That can't be the Cubs' reality this summer. They have a roster that is capable of being a true threat in the National League. With injuries to Justin Steele, Matthew Boyd, and Cade Horton, Hoyer needs to walk away from the trade deadline with an established starting pitcher.

Freddy Peralta

This is a wild reality for the Cubs. Arguably, the best fit for the Cubs this summer is former Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. Peralta is a free agent after the season, and that instantly makes the New York Mets' asking price lower than what the Cubs were asked last year for the likes of Sandy Alcantara, MacKenzie Gore, and Joe Ryan.

Peralta is a proven starting pitcher capable of starting Game 1 for the Cubs in a playoff series. Not to mention the familiarity with Craig Counsell. Peralta isn't represented by Scott Boras, so there's a chance that a July trade sets an early stage for long-term contract talks with the Cubs.

Robbie Ray

Taking you behind the fourth wall, I really wanted to put Sandy Alcantara here. He's been connected to the Cubs over the past year. It would make sense for the Cubs to have some interest in Alcantara this summer, but those reasons are obvious.

For that reason, we're going to mention Robbie Ray. In part, because the Marlins could consider themselves contenders this season and opt to hold onto Alcantara. The same can't be said for the Giants, who feel destined to sell, even if they don't want to acknowledge it at the moment. The Cubs have always liked Ray, and he's a free agent after the season. The fit is natural, and Ray would give the Cubs an established high-end option in their rotation.

Joe Ryan

Like Alcantara, the Cubs have been connected to Joe Ryan for quite some time. The Minnesota Twins opted to keep Ryan at the deadline last summer, and it's fair to wonder if they'll do the same at the deadline this year.

Ryan seems to be out of the woods following a recent elbow scare and is under control beyond this season. Assuming he's healthy, trading for Ryan would likely be the most expensive deal the Cubs could make in terms of prospect capital.

Sonny Gray

As the case with Peralta, Sonny Gray is another curious reality for the Cubs. Gray was a staple in the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation the last two seasons before being traded to the Boston Red Sox during the offseason. If the Red Sox can't turn their season around, Gray likely is among the players they will shop at the deadline.

Gray has familiarity with the National League Central, and that could be the reason why the Cubs front office has him on their radar this season. He hasn't quite been the swing-and-miss pitcher with the Red Sox that he was with the Cardinals, but he's getting results with an ERA of 3.18 through his first seven starts. Still, the 15.1% strikeout rate might be a point of concern.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow