MLB insider includes Cubs as reason why MLB Trade Deadline could be miserable

With the 2024 MLB Draft wrapping up on Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs and the rest of baseball are expected to shift their focus to the Trade Deadline.

The deadline is set for July 30 and despite entering the month with the expectation of being sellers, the Cubs have won 5 of their last 7 games prior to the All-Star break. It would seem that the Cubs, being sellers at the deadline, are no longer on the table short of the team collapsing once again when play resumes on Friday.

The Cubs have made up ground in the NL Central and are within 4 games of the final Wild Card spot, a theme among many mid-tier teams in the National League. For that reason, Robert Murray of FanSided suggests that the deadline could be slow.

In polling people around baseball, the general feel is that barring a change, the trade deadline could be relatively tame compared to years past. The biggest names who could move, of course, feature Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert Jr., Jack Flaherty, Jazz Chisholm, Tanner Scott and Carlos Estevez.

Before we dive into this season in particular, there usually does seem to be a prediction that each deadline could be slow in the weeks leading up to the actual date. Deadlines spur action, however, so it could just be the case of a slow-developing market.

The MLB trade winds appear to be a slight drift and nothing more.

Having said that, it's worth mentioning that there are as many as nine teams in the National League who could consider themselves as possible post-season contenders. Only the Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, and Colorado Rockies are the clear sellers in the National League.

In the American League, it's the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Oakland Athletics as the clear sellers.

Above all else, the lack of sellers across baseball could be the main reason the Cubs ultimately decide to stand pat at the deadline. It would be a fitting decision for the Cubs, considering how inconsistent they have been prior to the break.