Cubs' rumored trade target suffers injury that takes him off the board

The price of starting pitching at this year's trade deadline could be astronomical, with more than two-thirds of the league viewing themselves as contenders and buyers heading into July. That's bad news for teams like the Chicago Cubs, who are in dire need of major rotation reinforcements.

Chicago has been connected to virtually every arm that might be available ahead of the July 31 trade deadline - and while fans want to see a Sandy Alcantara or Zac Gallen-type arm added, Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins are looking beyond just the top of the market, a prudent move given the recent struggles of Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea.

Zach Eflin hits the IL after a string of ineffective starts for the Orioles

One such name that falls outside that top tier is veteran right-hander Zach Eflin, the 31-year-old in the final year of his deal. Traded from Tampa Bay to Baltimore a little less than a year ago, Eflin has struggled a lot in 2025, making just 12 starts and pitching to the tune of a 5.95 ERA, 5.72 FIP and 1.435 WHIP.

The Cubs are a team that loves reclamation projects, so his struggles alone wouldn't necessarily keep them from making a run at the former first-round pick. But he's battled multiple injuries this year - and is back on the IL after leaving his start over the weekend with what the Orioles are calling 'lower back tightness'.

His first IL stint came after he exited his third start of the year with a lat strain and he wound up on the shelf for more than a month. Had he come back and been effective, the lower back issue might not be as big of a concern, but he was downright terrible since returning from the injured list.

In nine starts since May 11, Eflin has a 7.16 ERA and 6.43 FIP. It hasn't been all bad, as he had a nice three-start stretch in late May and early June, but, big picture, he hasn't been the consistent arm the O's hoped he'd be in 2025. If he can return quickly and make two or three decent starts before the deadline, Baltimore may still be able to move him.

But given the Cubs' need for reliability in the rotation, a roll-of-the-dice on Eflin and the prorated portion of his $18 million salary doesn't make much sense.