Cubs fans' wildly unrealistic trade deadline target hits the injured list

Sunday's Chicago Cubs game against the Seattle Mariners was, among other things, yet another testament to one of the team's most significant needs at the trade deadline. Jed Hoyer will need to find a way to add a top-of-the-rotation starter to the roster by July 31. Unfortunately, one of the potential options for that acquisition might have just taken himself off the board in the most unfortunate way possible. Chris Sale injured himself while trying to make a play to try and help the Atlanta Braves win a game.

The 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner and contender to go back-to-back in the league's top potching honors was injured making a diving defensive play in the ninth inning last Wednesday against the New York Mets. He dove for a Juan Soto grounder between the mound and first base and made the stop while landing on the left side of his chest. He pitched to another batter before leaving the game with discomfort, and the fracture was later discovered.

Cy Young contender’s injury clouds Cubs’ search for a top-of-rotation arm

Chris Sale was always a longshot for the Chicago Cubs to acquire. He was the dream scenario that probably wasn't going to happen. However, while he's only on the 15-day IL for the Braves, there's a good chance he'll be out for much longer than the minimum.

Sale could return by July 3, considering when the IL stay was backdated, but rib fractures can be tricky, especially for an athlete like Sale. The pitcher has been through this kind of thing before.

He suffered a stress fracture in his right rib cage before the 2022 season that sidelined him for more than three months. This is the left rib cage, so at least it's not fracturing the same already broken bone, but it still feels like this is bad news for Hoyer and company.

Aside from Sale potentially being officially unavailable on the trade market (assuming the Braves are even sellers) if he is removed from the board, the pool of top-tier starters that the Chicago Cubs and other buyers can have is now one body smaller. And it's not as though that pool was large, to begin with.