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The Chicago Cubs are expected to be one of the more aggressive teams ahead of the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline next month. The Cubs have a 4.5-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, and only a game separates them from the Los Angeles Dodgers for having the best record in the National League. In other words, there is no other option for the Cubs but to be aggressive at the deadline.
However, the Cubs may not be the only team in the division with that approach. Earlier this week, Ken Rosenthal mentioned the Cincinnati Reds as a team that could be aggressive at the deadline.
The Reds could be a surprise aggressive team at the trade deadline, says @Ken_Rosenthal.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 19, 2025
"They've invested a lot in this team already." pic.twitter.com/RRAof9ZG0G
Cubs fans might not love what this insider just said about their division
With a record of 39-37, only 2 games separate the Reds from the Cardinals and Brewers for the final Wild-Card spot in the National League. In the first season with Terry Francona as the team's manager, it stands to reason that the Reds will have a level of aggressiveness at the deadline that they haven't shown in recent seasons.
If anything, Rosenthal's prediction is a reminder of why the Cubs need to be aggressive at the deadline. Cubs fans may not want to hear this, but as long as Kyle Tucker doesn't have an extension, the 2025 season is the only season where all of the team's chips are in the middle of the poker table. The year of having Tucker can not be wasted. And, if the Reds have a more aggressive deadline than the Cubs, that would be an egregious error committed by Jed Hoyer's front office.
As it stands, it would be fair to suggest that the Cardinals and Brewers will also be some variation of a buyer at the deadline. Neither team will likely make a major move at the deadline, but they are in a position to make a small buy. Of course, the Brewers could thread the needle between selling and buying depending on how they play over the next month. Meanwhile, the Pirates are clear sellers once again at the deadline.