Rumors swirl around Cubs and one trade that would shock baseball

With the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, the Chicago Cubs appear to be aiming high as they look to add a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. Over the last week, there has been a fair amount of speculation that the Cubs, in theory, would have interest in Washington Nationals' All-Star starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, but The Athletic's recent reporting has a more direct connection.

In setting the stage for the deadline on Thursday, and the Cubs' pursuit of pitching, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney open the piece up by detailing the team's interest in Gore.

"The Cubs are very interested in MacKenzie Gore, a top-of-the-rotation arm under team control through 2027. A blockbuster deal with the Washington Nationals would set the Cubs up for the playoffs and eliminate an offseason need."

They go on to say that there is no certainty that the Nationals' interim front office has been given the green light to make such a monumental trade, but connections can be made to when Washington decided it was time to trade Juan Soto.

Cubs quietly pushing for blockbuster trade that could reshape their rotation

Under control until 2028, the cost to acquire Gore certainly won't come cheap, but the case can be made that the Cubs should make the deal regardless. Beyond filling a need at the top of their rotation for the remainder of this season, Gore would instantly become the long-term ace of the Cubs' rotation.

To get a sense of the type of package the Cubs would have to offer, it would probably be Owen Caissie, Jaxon Wiggins, another Top 10 prospect to start with, before moving into the Organizational Top 20 prospects, and a lower-level lottery ticket. In terms of trading Caissie, a move for Gore would probably be the best-case scenario.

Sitting with an ERA of 3.52 and 144 strikeouts on the season, Gore would be the swing-and-miss pitcher the Cubs have desperately lacked in their starting rotation. Not to mention, the Cubs' defense will likely unlock another level of production from the 26-year-old ace.

More Cubs Rumors from Cubbies Crib