Chicago Cubs Rumors: Nothing close on Tyler Glasnow front

As the Chicago Cubs await a decision on superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani, the team has been connected to starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow.

The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to trade Glasnow this off-season, ahead of the starting pitcher earning $25MM in the final year of his contract. The Cubs have been confirmed to be one of the teams talking with the Rays regarding Glasnow but a deal does not appear to be close.

In a mailbag that serves as a preview for the Winter Meetings, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (Subscription Required) reports that no trade involving Glasnow is believed to be close at this point. In addition, Sharma suggested that any Cubs' trade for Glasnow likely would not include Christopher Morel given the fact that Morel is under team control for the next several years while Glasnow is a free agent after this season. In addition, the expectation is that the Rays are prioritizing pitching in any trade of Glasnow.

It would seem that a package of pitcher Hayden Wesneski, Keegan Thompson, and an organization Top-20 prospect will likely be the type of deal that would be able to net Glasnow from the Rays.

Wesneski was among the Cubs' top pitching prospects after being acquired by the team at the 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline but his development stunted after his struggles in the rotation at the start of the 2023 season. Injuries forced the Cubs to use Wesneski out of the bullpen as a long-reliever for most of last season. Given the Rays' success in getting the most out of young pitchers, Wesneski could be an intriguing arm for them. Ditto for Thompson as he saw regression in 2023 after emerging as the team's bullpen ace in 2022.

If the Cubs do sign Ohtani, Glasnow is an ideal trade target in the sense that he could hold the superstar free agent's place in the starting rotation for one season.

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