Cubs may get second chance at offseason target if Padres become trade deadline sellers

The Chicago Cubs' need for starting pitching should take them to all corners of the MLB globe leading up to the trade deadline. Jed Hoyer can leave no stone unturned in his quest to patch up the league's most injured pitching staff.

We know they'll be in on everyone from star rentals (i.e., Freddy Peralta, Sonny Gray) to pitchers with years of team control remaining (i.e., Reid Detmers). But what about someone who technically fits both categories?

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the reeling San Diego Padres -- who just had their doors blown off by the Cubs -- are facing an unusual situation as potential sellers at the deadline. If they do take that stance, their best starting pitcher, Michael King, figures to be available.

The North Siders were one of the more aggressive early pursuers of King this past offseason before they shifted their focus to Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera. A rekindling of that interest shouldn't be ruled out of the question this month, even if it seems unlikely that A.J. Preller would consider punting on his expensive, aging core.

Michael King is a complicated trade target for Cubs with tons of strings attached

We know the Cubs eventually balked at King's reported asking price in free agency because of his attachment to the qualifying offer. The team didn't want to forfeit a draft pick for a player who would excercise an opt-out clause after just one season. The Padres, facing no such restrictions as the right-hander's incumbent team, happily obliged and gave King a three-year contract with escalating salaries and opt-outs after each season.

King is now obviously exempt from the constraints of the qualifying offer, though his opt-outs remain a headache. He's pitched well enough this year -- 3.52 ERA, 21.0% strikeout rate in 102.1 innings -- to justify re-entering free agency this upcoming offseason. Then again, he's owed $58 million over the next two years combined and would have to try to earn a new deal on either side of the impending lockout.

Would he forego that kind of guaranteed cash at 31 years old in hopes of securing a nine-figure contract? Moreover, would the Cubs be willing to take on such bloated salaries ahead of the lockout?

It's a complicated situation, because if you acquire King and he pitches well, then he'll likely leave and you've just paid a hefty trade sum for a rental. However, if he performs poorly (or gets injured), then you're saddled with an increasingly expensive contract for two more years.

He would obviously make the 2026 Cubs a lot better; heck, he'd instantly slot into the No. 1 spot in the rotation right now. However, the same could be said of plenty of other pitchers on the trade block, most of whom come with a bit more certainty than the Padres' ace.

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