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Cubs may have a new trade target after Jeff Passan teases Drew Rasmussen deal

The Cubs and Rays could come together on a Drew Rasmussen trade
ByRich Eberwein
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Oct 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen is the latest name to emerge in offseason trade talks, as the Chicago Cubs look to bolster their starting rotation. Rasmussen would be a perfect fit in Chicago, and he's an ideal guy for the Rays to move this year.

His $20 million club option for 2027 would make Rasmussen the highest-paid player in the organization's history and also push Tampa Bay's payroll above $100 million for the first time ever.

This is not the type of contract the Rays are typically comfortable with. They are a small-market team that thrives on moving a player like this - a star veteran who is becoming too expensive - to replenish themselves with young talent.

The only problem is that the Cubs might not have what the Rays need.

Would the Cubs make a good trade partner for the Rays?

The Rays and the Cubs both need the same thing. Starting pitching. Although they picked up Rasmussen's club option, the Rays are set to lose Freddy Peralta and Nick Martinez to free agency.
So with rotation needs of their own, it's going to be tough for the Rays to justify trading their best remaining arm without getting a decent haul in return.

The Cubs would need to serve up at least two MLB-ready arms in this hypothetical trade. Maybe a package including Javier Assad, Jaxon Wiggins, and a lower-tier pitching prospect would make sense. The Rays would be flipping Rasmussen for three controllable pitchers, and the Cubs would have their ace for the 2027 season without completely gutting their pitching depth.

The Cubs would be acquiring a guy who has a 2.71 ERA (322 innings pitched) since the beginning of the 2025 season. He'd join Braxton Garrett, Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera, and hopefully Ben Brown. Plus, the Cubs would still have a lot of money to pursue free agents like Clay Holmes, Michael King, Sonny Gray, Peralta, or Martinez.

With the Cubs' payroll flexibility, I think they can afford to get Rasmussen and field a competitive team next year.



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