Could the Cubs help the Rangers further cut payroll with a huge blockbuster trade?

The Texas Rangers are having a heck of a week. Amidst a bunch of rostering deadlines on the MLB calendar, the 2023 World Series champions surprisingly non-tendered outfielder Adolis Garcia, who now appears to be an under-the-radar Chicago Cubs free-agent target, then traded Marcus Semien to the New York Mets, picking up Brandon Nimmo in the swap.

In less flashy news, they non-tendered relievers Josh Sborz and Jacob Webb, along with once-star backstop Jonah Heim. After finishing with a .500 record in 2025 and having not made the playoffs since 2017 ,besides that championship season, the Rangers may be nearing yet another rebuild.

Of course, they have the talent to avoid such a fate. Corey Seager remains one of the best shortstops in the league when healthy, Nimmo remains a solidly above-average player, and their pitching staff features a blend of elite veterans and exciting youngsters.

However, this group hasn't done much outside of 2023, and with Garcia, Semien, Heim, and others out the door, they could look to start over. Having already signed former Rangers reliever Phil Maton to a multi-year deal this offseason, could the Chicago Cubs look to Texas to seek out an (expensive) ace to lead the pitching staff?

Trading Jacob deGrom would dramatically slash Rangers payroll

A lot of this conversation stems from the Rangers' supposed desire to cut payroll this offseason, after running yearly player expenditures over $225 million in each of the past three seasons.

Their Opening Day payroll for 2026 is projected to sit at $180 million after finishing around that $225 million mark at the close of the 2025 season, but that's before accounting for any outside additions. If they're ready to rebuild, they could easily clear out a ton of salary while bringing back some much-needed prospect talent.

Jacob deGrom, now 37, is the most expensive player on their roster by a mile. His $38 million salary and $37 million AAV (for luxury tax purposes) are both well clear of Seager's marks, and he's got two more years left on his contract (plus a $20 million club option for 2028).

He does have a full no-trade clause, but after missing the Rangers' World Series run due to injury, he'll surely prioritize playing with a contender in the final years of his career. And, after years of dealing with injuries, the deGrom who dominated all opposing forces with the New York Mets finally returned in 2025.

In 30 starts (172 2/3 innings) this past season, the two-time Cy Young Award winner posted a 2.97 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 27.7 percent strikeout rate, and 5.5 percent walk rate. He may no longer be as dominant as he was in 2021, when he struck out nearly half of all the hitters he faced, but this is still a guy who averaged 97.5 MPH on his fastball and generates elite chase and whiff rates.

Because of his gargantuan salary, the Cubs would have two paths to acquiring deGrom: eat the full contract and surrender little prospect talent, or send a haul in return for a cheaper version of the ace right-hander.

Either way, there's going to be a market for someone who remains one of the best pitchers in the game when healthy. That stipulation might be far more important for deGrom than others, but his talent remains undeniable.

If the Cubs find themselves boxed out of the high-end starting-pitching market in free agency, they could cook up an all-or-nothing trade for one of the best pitchers of this generation... assuming they are serious about wanting a true No. 1 starter this offseason.