Cubs take a wild swing to solve their most glaring issue

It's become clear that the Chicago Cubs will be in the market for a starting pitcher ahead of the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline on July 31. While Cubs fans are already dreaming of a potential trade for Sandy Alcantara, still in June, it's more likely that the team will continue to take flyers on reclamation projects until they have a more defined solution.

Along those lines, the Cubs are adding former St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jake Woodford on a minor-league deal. Woodford will be assigned to Triple-A Iowa and is expected to make his first start for the organization on Friday night.

Woodford spent the first four seasons of his Major League career with the Cardinals, with his best season while working out of St. Louis' bullpen in 2022. In 27 appearances that season, Woodford posted a 2.23 ERA. Woodford's last appearance at the Major League level was with the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Cardinals last September. He was touched up for 4 runs on 8 hits in 4.2 innings of work. Woodford also made 2 starts for the White Sox last season, giving up 10 runs on 15 hits across 8.1 innings of work.

Another reclamation project for the Cubs' system

Woodford was pitching with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate this season before opting out of his deal last week. Given the situation the Cubs are in, there is a fairly decent chance that Woodford could make a spot appearance on the Major League roster for the Cubs in the coming weeks.

If anything, Woodford's arrival may suggest that the Cubs aren't impressed with what they've seen from Kenta Maeda during his time with the I-Cubs. Through his first 4 starts in Iowa, Maeda is sitting with an ERA of 13.89. Considering Maeda, in theory, would have been the next man up at the Major League level if there were another injury in the rotation, Woodford does give the Cubs an alternative.