Chicago Cubs trade deadline acquisitions leave a lot to be desired one month later

When the 2025 trade deadline passed, Chicago Cubs fans were livid. The team landed four players and addressed most of their needs, but never swung for the fences in what will likely be their only year with Kyle Tucker in the fold. Most damning, however, was their failure to address their rotation at the time by not landing a controllable starter like MacKenzie Gore or even a quality rental like Charlie Morton.

A lot has changed in the month since then, however. The Brewers have all but locked up the division, but the rotation has locked in despite the injuries, and Matt Shaw became one of the team's hottest hitters in the second half. Additionally, the lack of a big trade for someone like Gore or Eugenio Suarez turned out to be a blessing in disguise amid their respective swoons. Jed Hoyer's restraint paid off in the end, though the deals he did make have been a mixed bag.

The Cubs bolstered their bullpen with the additions of Andrew Kittredge and Taylor Rogers, added a swingman for depth in Mike Soroka, and a superutility man in Willi Castro to aid an abysmal bench. At the time, Castro and Kittredge felt like the biggest gets given their track record and the holes they filled, though there was reason to appreciate each move. Let's examine how they've aged since the deadline and rank the players based on their performances.

Checking in on the Cubs' trade deadline pick-ups one month later

1. Andrew Kittredge

Andrew Kittredge has been nothing but a godsend for the Cubs' bullpen, not just because of the quality of his appearances, but also the quantity. In just one month, the righty has appeared in 14 games and thrown 13 innings with a 4.15 ERA and 2.98 FIP. Save for a disastrous appearance against Cincinnati, where he gave up four runs in a third of an inning, he's been nails, with only three runs total across the remaining 12 2/3. The Cubs needed a reliable arm to take the load off of guys like Brad Keller, and for only the cost of former number 13 international prospect Wilfri De La Cruz, he has more than answered the call.

2. Taylor Rogers

Concerns about Drew Pomeranz's regression and the lack of depth behind Caleb Thielbar made the move for a lefty reliever almost feel inevitable. They probably could've been more ambitious by targeting Danny Coulombe, for example, but Taylor Rogers was a suitable addition for the price. The numbers haven't been great, though. In 9 2/3 innings, he has a ghastly 6.52 ERA, a far cry from the 2.45 he enjoyed with the Reds, but a 3.34 FIP suggests some bad luck.

Again, his numbers are also being skewed by two bad appearances and a lack of innings. Before his past two outings against Atlanta and San Francisco, he had limited opposing teams to only one run and recorded punchouts in all but one game. Walks have also not been nearly as much of a problem so far as they were in Cincinnati. Expect Craig Counsell to keep him in rotation as a regular middle-to-late-inning arm through the rest of the season.

3. Willi Castro

Easily the most disappointing move made was for Willi Castro, who had a lot going for him before arriving in Chicago. There was an argument to be made that he was always the best positional fit for the Cubs because of his ability to cover anywhere on the diamond, including center field for Pete Crow-Armstrong. He also boasted a solid 109 wRC+ with the Twins, proving he could be an above-average offensive fill-in for whoever needed rest. Instead, his career on the North Side has been one to forget so far with a 7 wRC+(!), no walks, and a .153/.167/.237 slash line.

Instead of bolstering a struggling bench and keeping guys rested, Castro has forced the Cubs to scramble for help. His offensive non-existence helped encourage the move to sign Carlos Santana for the bench and bring up Kevin Alcantara for any sort of help covering the positions he was meant to.

4. Michael Soroka

Hoyer's most controversial trade was a risky one to begin with due to Michael Soroka's injury history, the recent dip in fastball velocity, and the lack of another starter deal. Sure enough, he only got through two innings in his first Cubs appearance before a shoulder strain shut him down. The cost to get him also stung, with top 15 organizational prospects Ronny Cruz and Christian Franklin going back in the deal. He's now throwing live batting practice, but he'll have to ramp back up to provide any sort of value. Fortunately, Aaron Civale was available off waivers to fill that hole and lessen the blow heading into September, but Soroka remains a bad bet by Hoyer with a painful price tag.