Cubs handed a bold pitching solution for their trade deadline problem

The expectation is that the Chicago Cubs will be in the market for a frontline starting pitcher ahead of the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline on July 31, and chances are the team is keeping a close eye on the Arizona Diamondbacks. With Corbin Burnes out for the remainder of the season, the Diamondbacks could be a surprise seller at the deadline next month. With that possibility, one former general manager thinks that it is the solution to the Cubs' need.

In his primer for the deadline, Jim Bowden takes a look at potential targets for each contending team, and for the Cubs, he has Zac Gallen's name circled.

"Two years ago, he was the starting pitcher for the NL All-Star team and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting. Last year, he went 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA. Gallen would need to have three to four strong starts before the deadline for the Diamondbacks to get the strong prospect package they’d want, but if they fall further out of contention, they might have to trade the impending free agent," Bowden writes for The Athletic.

Zac Gallen could be an ideal target for the Cubs

Much like Sandy Alcantara, Gallen is an imperfect trade target for the Cubs. When Gallen is right, he is an unquestioned candidate to win the National League Cy Young Award. However, like Alcantara, Gallen has struggled this season. Through 14 starts with the Diamondbacks this season, Gallen has an ERA of 5.15 with a dip in his strikeout numbers and an uptick in his walk rate.

The difference, and an important one, is that Gallen is a free agent this season. Alcantara is signed through 2026 and has a club option for the 2027 season. As of now, it would certainly cost the Cubs less to trade for Gallen than it would to make a move for Alcantara.

Either way, the idea of the Cubs being willing to trade for either starting pitcher would be a sign of the belief they have in their pitching infrastructure. It's an infrastructure that has turned failures into success stories in the past. For either Gallen or Alcantara, given respective pedigrees, it could be a worthwhile gamble for the Cubs.