Ranking 8 Cubs starting pitching trade candidates from best to worst

Starting pitching is a clear need for the Chicago Cubs at this year's trade deadline, and there have been an avalanche of rumors circulating the internet about the team being in on virtually everyone who could be available.

The Cubs are currently using their bullpen to hold down one of their rotation spots, with Ben Brown and Chris Flexen getting the bulk of the innings in Monday's loss to the Kansas City Royals. Brown has been ineffective for most of 2025 and Flexen is an innings-eating long reliever that the team clearly doesn't trust to start, so the front office is going to need to make something happen in the next week to help stop the bleeding until Jameson Taillon returns from the injured list.

Here is my list of trade candidates that I think would best suit the Cubs' rotation as they seek to edge out the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central race.

1. RHP Joe Ryan - Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan is in the middle of the best season of his five-year career, with a 2.63 ERA in 20 games this year with 132 strikeouts over 116.1 innings pitched. This is the most polished Ryan has looked since breaking into the league in 2021, as he's limiting his walks to just 5.1percent and striking out batters at a career-high clip of 29.2 percent.

Ryan is a right-hander with a six-pitch mix who would fit nicely into Chicago's rotation. The Cubs are lacking a true strikeout machine like Ryan. At 29 years old and with two additional years left on his contract, it will take a significant package of prospects to pry Ryan away from Minnesota. But the Cubs have a lot of MLB-ready talent to offer the Twins, including outfielder Owen Caissie. The Cubs' no. 1 prospect would likely be an instant call-up for the Twins, who are lacking talent in their corner outfield spots.

2. RHP Edward Cabrera - Miami Marlins

Edward Cabrera is another guy who seems to be figuring things out at the big league level. After back-to-back seasons with an ERA above 4.00, the 27-year-old owns a 3.48 ERA in his first 17 starts this year.

Like Ryan, Cabrera has a hefty arsenal of pitches, although he relies more on his offspeed deliveries to get outs, while Ryan is a very fastball-heavy guy. But Cabrera has more velocity, as his fastball has averaged 96.7 MPH this year. The strikeouts (92), groundball rate (47.5 percent), and velocity are all there, making Cabrera an intriguing target that the Cubs' pitching lab would probably love to get their hands on.

Cabrera has three years of arbitration left after 2025, so he will be even harder to acquire. But this would be a trade that has the potential to cement the Cubs' rotation for years to come, so it needs to be discussed.

3. LHP Mackenzie Gore - Washingotn Nationals

One relatively new rumor has the Cubs targeting Washington Nationals ace Mackenzie Gore. Gore doesn't hit free agency until after the 2027 season, when he will only be 28 years old. The Nationals are starting to piece together some nice young talent, but it's unclear if they'll be in contention over the next two seasons since they are sitting around 20 games below .500 here in late July.

The Cubs can afford Gore, and his presence in the Cubs' rotation would make a playoff series look much more obtainable. Gore is one of the handful of pitchers on pace to exceed 200 strikeouts this year, and he's been fairly healthy going on three years now. Trading for Gore would give Chicago an interesting trio of top lefties that would certainly throw off opposing lineups.

4. Sandy Alcantara

A lot of people are out of the Sandy Alcantara sweepstakes right now, and it's understandable. 2025 is the first year the former Cy Young Award winner has pitched since he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, and he hasn't looked sharp. Alcantara owns a -1.5 bWAR and a 6.66 ERA through his first 20 starts.

That being said, we know what his potential can be, and that is the best pitcher in the league. A change of scenery, playing in front of one of the best defenses in baseball, and contending for a division title for the first time in his career could turn things around for the 29-year-old.

5. RHP Dylan Cease - San Diego Padres

Ah Dylan Cease. The one that got away from the Cubs way back in 2017 when they traded him to the White Sox for Jose Quintana. Now that Cease is with the San Diego Padres and playing on an expiring contract, rumors have begun to circulate that the Friars are shopping him.

It doesn't make a ton of sense since the Padres are only five games out of first place in the NL West, but heck, virtually everything is based on rumors right now. Cease is the first guy on this list who would be a rental, and the Cubs would be gambling on him having a massive turnaround. The former top prospect has an ugly 3-10 record and a 4.59 ERA in 21 starts. That being said, he has also struck out 144 men in just 113 2/3 innings, so he hasn't been a complete liability. It's an unlikely trade, but it would sure be fun to see Cease don the blue pinstripes like we all thought he would back in the day.

6. RHP Merrill Kelly - Arizona Diamondbacks

Merrill Kelly has been rock-solid for the Diamondbacks for five straight seasons, and 2025 has been no different. The veteran right-hander is flashing an impressive 3.32 ERA in his first 21 starts this year. Kelly also threw four games for the Snakes in the 2023 postseason, including a quality start in the World Series against the Rangers.

The Diamondbacks have seemingly indicated that they will be sellers this year when they shipped Josh Naylor, one of their best hitters, to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday. Other than Eugenio Suarez, Kelly is probably Arizona's most desirable player, and he'd be a great third man for Chicago's rotation.

8. RHP Zac Gallen - Arizona Diamondbacks

Zac Gallen is a guy who has flashed greatness in the past, with two top-5 Cy Young Award finishes in the last four years. But the former All-Star has struggled mightily in 2025, with a 5.58 ERA in 21 starts.

This would be a risky play for the Cubs given his bad performance, but he would figure to be a lot cheaper than everyone else on this list since he is also playing on an expiring contract.