8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention

A series-opening win over the Pirates on Tuesday where the offense finally showed signs of life hopefully means brighter days (and some lengthy winning streaks) are on the horizon for the Chicago Cubs.

But a strong April followed by a disastrous May and a 5-6 start in June, consistency has been an issue for this team all season long and it's been difficult to get a read on where they'll end the year in the standings. If they can't capitalize in the six games against Pittsburgh (including Tuesday's win), Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins could end up selling - again.

If that's the case, very few members of this team would be 'safe' - so let's take a look at 8 Cubs who could be on the block if the team falls out of contention.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #8: Patrick Wisdom

With Nick Madrigal installed at third base after his return from Iowa, it's worth wondering if the Patrick Wisdom era might be drawing to a close, despite his impressive power output.

Wisdom got off to a scorching start at the dish, but has fallen off a cliff performance-wise since early May, slashing .148/.242/.284 since May 4. In June, he's struck out in 14 of his 25 plate appearances. His average on the year is down to .198 so the initial power display (10 homers in the first month) is no longer a factor.

Chicago needs power in its lineup, to be sure. But Wisdom's swing-and-miss tendencies are being picked apart by the opposition and it might be time to start looking beyond him as a third base answer. There could be a contender looking to add a power bat to the mix for the second half and if there's one thing he can do, it's drive the ball out of the yard.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #7: Nick Madrigal

The other side of that same coin centers around the Cubs holding onto Wisdom and moving on from another former first-rounder in Madrigal, who lit up Triple-A pitching before recently rejoining the big league team.

There's no two ways about it: Madrigal has been a tremendous disappointment since coming to the Cubs in the Craig Kimbrel trade. But if he can show value leading up to the deadline and get back to being the high-contact bat he was known to be as a college standout and during his days with the White Sox, there's bound to be a club interested in adding him into the fold.

Madrigal, under team control through 2026, is blocked up the middle with Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson cemented as the Cubs' double-play tandem. He can be a nice bench piece and provide depth at a trio of infield positions, but it's worth wondering if Chicago could shore up the bullpen picture by sending him on his way come July.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #6: Tucker Barnhart

Woo, boy. The Tucker Barnhart experiment has not gone as the Cubs had hoped, eh? No one expects a ton from a backup catcher in terms of the bat, but the veteran has a 30 OPS+ on the year, far and away the worst offensive performance of his career.

His framing and work behind the plate has been solid, but with the emergence of and focus on Miguel Amaya, I don't see a ton of reasons to keep Barnhart in the mix and take regular at-bats away from the up-and-comer.

Barnhart has never been a bat-first backstop by any stretch, with a career OPS+ of just 80 - but he's providing less than half of that value even in his first year in Chicago. The front office and David Ross need to think long and hard how much they value his veteran leadership, because this is feeling more and more like an Eric Hosmer scenario as more time passes.

All that being said, given his deal has a $3.25 million player option for 2024, it's hard to envision a club coming off anything of value for the two-time Gold Glover. Maybe he's thrown in as an add-on in another deal, but you're not going to center anything around him because, well, his value is next-to-nil at this point.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #5: Julian Merryweather

A recent MLB.com piece pegged reliever Julian Merryweather as a top trade piece - and it's safe to say that early on in the year, this was not a name you'd have thought valuable, either as a trade chip or as a member of the 26-man roster.

But the hard-throwing right-hander has turned things around and emerged as a rare reliable presence in the Chicago bullpen. Dating back to April 17, Merryweather has made 23 appearances spanning 22 2/3 innings, striking out 34 and working to a 1.19 ERA and 1.60 FIP. Throw in the fact he's under team control for three more seasons and it's easy to see the appeal.

Last summer, Jed Hoyer and the front office flipped breakout reliever David Robertson to Philadelphia for Ben Brown, who's emerged as a top-shelf pitching prospect since joining the Cubs organization. Could they look to swing a similar trade involving Merryweather if the season is lost? I wouldn't count out the possibility, that's for sure.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #4: Marcus Stroman

When it comes to Cubs starting pitchers, Marcus Stroman is - far and away - the most valuable trade chip Chicago has. Virtually guaranteed to opt out of his deal at season's end and test free agency and a serious contender for NL Cy Young honors, he could take a contender one piece away over the top.

The veteran right-hander is a league leader in several key categories, including quality starts, ERA+, WHIP and H/9. Recently, he put the Cubs on notice by telling everyone they haven't been responsive to extension talks, only adding fuel to the fire as the trade deadline draws nearer.

If June doesn't go as we all hope and Chicago sells, it's worth wondering if they'd capitalize on his sky-high value and deal him this summer, with plans to bring him back into the fold via free agency at season's end. Of course, that plan comes with risk - but if they pull it off, it could go a long way toward returning the Cubs to relevance and further bolstering their prospect depth.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #3: Drew Smyly

Stroman's rotation mate, Drew Smyly, continues to fly under the radar while quietly putting together another solid campaign on the North Side. He's essentially replicated what he did in 2022, when he played a key role in the club's strong second-half showing, nearly achieving perfection earlier this year before it fell apart in heartbreaking fashion.

In 35 starts as a member of the Cubs, Smyly has a 3.39 ERA and 1.180 WHIP and is that perfect middle of the rotation piece that gets moved every single year at the deadline, without much fanfare or attention.

The left-hander, a 2021 World Series champion, has postseason experience on his resume and really seems to have figured things out again in the last couple seasons. This is a guy more than capable of slotting into a team's postseason staff, either out of the pen or the rotation, and Chicago will undoubtedly listen to offers on him in the next month or so.

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #1: Kyle Hendricks

This, by far, will be the most unpopular name on this list with Cubs fans - at least in terms of thinking about him potentially wearing another uniform come August. Kyle Hendricks has spent his entire MLB career with the Cubs and he's started some of the most pivotal games in franchise history.

But nothing lasts forever - and on the heels of his near-no-no in his last start, his trade value is, once again, on the rise.

In four starts, Hendricks carries a 3.09 ERA, 3.45 FIP and 1.071 WHIP. He's looked more and more like his old self the longer he's been back on the mound and even though he's not going to go win any ERA crowns like he did seven years ago, this is a guy who knows how to get outs, even when he doesn't have his best stuff.

What he's accomplished in October alone will prove intriguing for teams eyeing the postseason and his calm demeanor will be the cherry on top. Set to hit the open market at season's end, the end of Hendricks' Cubs career could come sooner than anticipated, especially if the Cubs tear it all down to the studs amidst another disappointing season.