Cubs will need to make key decision with Pedro Ramirez before the MLB trade deadline

The Chicago Cubs' need for starting pitching -- preferably young, controllable pitching -- is well documented. The myriad of injuries suffered by the rotation this year have practically necessitated a trade or two for a frontline starter.

What's less certain is how the team plans to acquire such an arm. The farm system is no longer rife with elite prospects; a lot of the shine has worn off on Kevin Alcantara, Jaxon Wiggins hasn't been healthy this year and is too important to the team's future, and most of the other top minor-leaguers in the organization (i.e., Kane Kepley, Ethan Conrad, Josiah Hartshorn, etc.) may be a little too far away from the big leagues to serve as a true blockbuster trade centerpiece.

Jefferson Rojas is the best piece the Cubs have, but also the top prospect in the farm system and perhaps the only answer to the current Dansby Swanson dilemma at shortstop. If he's deemed untouchable, that may force Jed Hoyer and the front office to reckon with a choice: Between Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez, which player is more expendable?

Cubs may need to choose which of Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez to keep, and which to trade

Shaw is the more frequently mentioned trade candidate, which shouldn't be too surprising. He's a 24-year-old with a 111 wRC+ in his sophomore season who is under team control through 2031. Oh, and he was a Gold Glove finalist at third base as a rookie, not to mention the fact that he's played every position on the diamond besides shortstop and catcher this year. As a former top-50 prospect with big-time offensive credentials in the minors, that kind of defensive versatility and prowess is undeniably attractive.

Of course, the same things that make him such a promising trade candidate are also the reasons the Cubs should want to hold onto him. There have been plenty of frustrations with Shaw, both on and off the field, since he debuted last year, but he's got one of the brightest futures in the organization.

Ramirez, meanwhile, only recently debuted in the big leagues, though he's impressed all year long. He's younger, under team control for longer, and won a minor-league Gold Glove at third base in 2025. Now that his bat has caught up -- he has a 102 wRC+ since being called up and had a .942 OPS in Triple-A beforehand -- his profile is rather enticing, even if he's less versatile overall than Shaw.

These two will be, save for Rojas, by far the most discussed trade chips the Cubs have to offer. Controllable pitching doesn't come cheap, though it's a lot easier to pry loose when you can offer controllable hitting in return.

Expect to see both players in the lineup frequently leading up to the trade deadline, both as an audition for the Cubs and for the other 29 teams in the league.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow