Cubs and Mariners remain ideal trade partners for a George Kirby deal this offseason

The one thing that alluded the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline was adding a starting pitcher under control beyond the 2026 season. They did trade for Braxton Garrett, and while that's not nothing, it felt like the Cubs left a noteworthy item unchecked at summer's tentpole event.

It would seem likely that the Cubs revisit some of the names they had interest in at the deadline. Reid Detmers is the obvious one, and who the Cubs should continue to target in trade talks, but it would seem that the North Siders are once again going to be an ideal trade partner for the Seattle Mariners.

Over the past few winters, it seemed like the Cubs and Mariners were destined to come together on a trade. The Cubs had an abundance of position-player prospects with a need for pitching, and the Mariners had a wealth of pitching but a need for infield help.

Not much has changed. While the Mariners did trade starting pitcher Luis Castillo at the deadline, there's a belief that they could still trade from their rotation to address their need in the infield. The Cubs simply need pitching wherever they can find it, and that could mean being willing to dangle one of Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramirez in trade talks.

Mariners have a George Kirby trade possibility that Cubs should find impossible to ignore

Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer took out his prediction cap, forecasting the potential moves that could define the offseason. Of note, he positioned the Cubs to be the team to trade for George Kirby, suggesting that a potential deal could involve Shaw.

Assuming the Cubs would then fill the need in the outfield with another external addition, it's the type of move that Jed Hoyer and Co. should consider. No, Kirby, in his current form, is not a starting pitcher who can sit at the top of the rotation but would give the middle of the rotation something the team hasn't had in recent years. A controllable arm with a fastball in the middle 90s, and when he's right, the ability to miss bats.

Kirby's strikeout rate with the Mariners in 2026 was 20% but for his career, the mark is at 24.3%. Not to mention, for his career, his groundball rate is 43.5%. There's some flyball concern with Kirby's profile, but it's also been under 40% the last two years.

Kirby would be somewhat of a project, and the concern is that the Cubs' last project, Edward Cabrera, hasn't exactly worked out so far, so the fear is in the unknow. It's also possible that the Cubs only trade Shaw for more expectation at the top of the rotation, but this is the type of creativity that will be needed this offseason. No stone should be left unturned in the Cubs' search for pitching.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow