Cubs Rumors: Insider says team is now focusing on a trade for a big starting pitcher

The Chicago Cubs just made one of the biggest moves in recent memory by acquiring superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker. But according to a Cubs insider, the team may not be finished making big trades.

670 The Score's Bruce Levine said the Cubs' front office is now shifting focus to a starting pitching deal.

The team is heavily rumored to be moving outfielder Cody Bellinger, and that looks ever more likely with Tucker now in the fold. Garrett Crochet was one of the best starters on the market, but he is already off the table after the White Sox sent him to Boston for a massive haul of prospects. But other teams are rumored to be moving quality starters and the Cubs are looking like they are in on that action.

Who are the Cubs targeting?

The Seattle Mariners are in the market for bats and the Cubs could flip Bellinger or Nico Hoerner for one of their rotation pieces. Seattle is coming off a year where they arguably had the best starting rotation in baseball, and any of their five starters would be a solid addition to the Cubs. A combination of Bellinger/Hoerner, a top prospect and a rotation depth piece like Jordan Wicks or Javier Assad could see the Cubs acquire someone like Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo or Luis Castillo.

The San Diego Padres are also rumored to be shopping ace starter Dylan Cease, possibly setting up a reunion with the Cubs. Chicago took Cease in the sixth round of the 2014 draft and flipped him to the White Sox in 2017 for Jose Quintana. Cease has emerged as a consistent starter in recent years, with four straight seasons of making 32+ starts with 200+ strikeouts. in 2024, the 28-year-old tossed a career-high 189.1 innings to the tune of a 3.47 ERA.

Adding him to a group that already has Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd would give the Cubs an elite rotation.