5 rumored Cubs starting pitcher trade targets not named Sandy Alcantara or Zac Gallen

Since the start of the season, Chicago Cubs fans have been daydreaming of adding Sandy Alcantara to the top of the rotation. That wishful thinking took hold long before Justin Steele went down for the year with an elbow injury or Shota Imanaga spent the better part of two months on the shelf with a hamstring issue.

Make no mistake: there's still interest on the Cubs' part there - and it may yet come to fruition. The same thinking applies to a potential acquisition of Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander and former NL Cy Young finalist Zac Gallen. But given the importance of the 2025 season, Jed Hoyer cannot put all his trade deadline eggs in those two baskets alone.

Here are five other starting pitchers insiders at ESPN believe are great fits for the Cubs, a team looking to get back on track and bring home its first NL Central crown since 2020.

5 rumored Cubs starting pitcher trade targets: Merrill Kelly

We'll stick in the desert with our first name, Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly. ESPN pegs his chances of getting moved at 30 percent, but Arizona just suffered yet another major injury recently in Corbin Carroll that could bump that number higher.

In the final year of a three-year deal, Kelly is a straight rental, which means he's going to cost far less than somebody like Alcantara, who can be controlled through the 2027 season. He's been extremely dependable this year, working to a 3.39 ERA and 3.31 FIP through 16 starts. His age (36) is less of a concern given his contract status, and he could be a nice complementary piece added to the staff, regardless of whether or not the Cubs go get a headlining arm.

5 rumored Cubs starting pitcher trade targets: Luis Severino

Signed to the largest free agent deal in Athletics history last offseason (three years, $67 million), Luis Severino is an intriguing name, to say the least. He's been absolutely abysmal pitching in Sacramento (6.70 ERA in 10 home starts) - but his road numbers suggest he's more a victim of the team's makeshift home ballpark than anything else.

Away from Sacramento, he's worked to a 0.93 ERA a half-dozen starts - and that is what's caught the eye of several teams. His contract (two more years, $47 million), not so much, but given his experience pitching in a major market (eight years with the Yankees, one with the Mets), he's a name to keep an eye on.

5 rumored Cubs starting pitcher trade targets: Walker Buehler

Boy, talk about dodging a bullet. The Cubs were connected to longtime Dodgers standout Walker Buehler last winter, only to watch him end up signing a 1-year, $21 million deal with Boston. To say things haven't worked out with the Red Sox is an understatement.

The right-hander carries a 6.29 ERA in his first 13 starts with a WHIP near 1.500. He hasn't been effective, but given he's a rental (his deal contains a mutual option for 2026) and has a lengthy postseason track record, Craig Breslow likely won't have any difficulty finding suitors if he moves the two-time All-Star. ESPN pegs his chances of being dealt at 35 percent.

5 rumored Cubs starting pitcher trade targets: Tyler Mahle

I'm still not sure how the Texas Rangers managed to catch lightning in a bottle and win the 2023 World Series. They seemingly came out of nowhere and have struggled since - and the 2025 season is no exception, with the club entering action Tuesday at 38-41.

Currently sidelined with shoulder fatigue, Tyler Mahle could be an attractive trade piece if he returns and shows he's good to go before the end of July. He boasts a 2.34 ERA that probably paints a rosier picture than reality presents (there's a full run difference between his ERA and FIP and his BABIP is pretty favorable right now), but he, like many names on this list, would be a nice mid-to-back rotation add for the Cubs. Oh, and he's a rental, as well.

5 rumored Cubs starting pitcher trade targets: Zach Eflin

ESPN believes there's a three-in-four chance the Baltimore Orioles trade Eflin this summer - and, really, why wouldn't they? A season that began with championship aspirations went sideways almost immediately and Fangraphs pegs their postseason odds at just 4.3 percent.

Eflin is a veteran arm on an expiring deal and could be a nice back-end piece in the Cubs' rotation. He's not an ace and, like much of this list, would be best paired with a top-of-the-rotation addition in a best-case scenario. The 31-year-old doesn't check that box, but as we've already seen this season, depth is everything over the course of 162 games.