3 Cubs players who aren't as safe as they think with the trade deadline approaching

1: Don't count out a Javier Assad trade before the July 30 deadline

Jameson Taillon only made Jed Hoyer's job easier with his latest start, a 7 1/3-inning effort against the first-place Brewers in which he allowed just one earned run on four hits. That lowered his ERA on the year to 2.96, which would rank sixth in the National League had he not missed time to open the year, leaving him short of the innings threshold.

The Red Sox and Yankees have been connected to the right-hander, but his market should stretch well beyond just those two longtime AL East foes. For Chicago, moving him offers the chance to unload the $18 million salary he's due in both 2025 and 2026, freeing up much-needed cash to hopefully add some firepower to this roster come winter.

But if the Cubs can't find a taker on those dollars, offering up Assad, a young, cost-controlled arm who has regularly given his team a chance to win, could be a unique approach to the deadline. On the year, he's got a 3.15 ERA in 18 starts, a mark 31 percent better than league average. He isn't even arbitration-eligible until 2026, making him both affordable and controllable for years to come.

Given the organization's pitching depth, which includes Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks and top pitching prospect Cade Horton, losing either of these guys shouldn't be a disaster looking to 2025 and beyond. Taillon makes a ton of sense if the Cubs are focused on unloading that contract, but Assad could fetch a solid return in his own right, as well.