Cubs zeroing in on Angels' trade deadline fit after Tarik Skubal smoke clears

Not only is Tarik Skubal off the board, but one other prospective Chicago Cubs trade target was crossed off on Saturday, with the Chicago White Sox acquiring Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners.

With the Skubal question answered, teams (including the Cubs) will look to move quickly to add their preferred targets ahead of Monday evening's trade deadline. For Jed Hoyer, one name seems set in stone atop his wish list: Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.

Matthew Trueblood at Northside Baseball had a great write-up on the current state of Hoyer's quest to revamp his pitching staff that's definitely worth a full read. I want to focus in on Detmers, though, who he says the Cubs are 'locked in' on. Because it's tells us where the Chicago front office is focusing right now.

Cubs are sticking to their trusted playbook in trade deadline discussions

Skubal was always a pipe dream for multiple reasons. It was fun to think about, but the Cubs were never seriously involved in the bidding. They're focused on adding a controllable, high-upside arm (similar thought process that drove the Owen Caissie-for-Edward Cabrera trade this winter), in hopes of not only shoring up the staff for the stretch run, but solidifying the rotation in years to come.

If Hoyer is coming off highly-regarded prospects, such as Owen Ayers, a name the Angels are very interested in, it's going to be in a deal for someone like Detmers or, perhaps, one of the Mariners' young arms like Emerson Hancock. That's not to say they won't be forced to pivot to a rental (we saw Hoyer balk at asking prices for top arms just last summer), but a controllable piece is clearly a top priority.

That makes sense, too, given the Cubs' refusal to play at the top of the free agent pitching market. At some point, they either have to give a top-of-the-rotation arm big money or finally develop one of their own. Acquiring a young pitcher with years of remaining control gives them a clear pathway to the latter, in hopes they take the next step and can be a major piece atop the rotation.

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