The Cubs’ most obvious offseason trade candidate is easy to spot

We were at this point at the MLB trade deadline, and it would seem that the argument can still easily be made this offseason. It appeared during the 2025 season that the Chicago Cubs ran out of a development plan for former first-round pick Jordan Wicks, as he turned into an up-and-down arm for the bullpen instead of a solution in the starting rotation.

When all was said and done for the Cubs in 2025, Wicks appeared in only 8 games, posting a 6.28 ERA in a tick over 14 innings pitched. Despite the need the Cubs had in their starting rotation throughout the season, it was clear that the team did not view him as an option.

With that in mind, it feels like Wicks is the obvious traded candidate for the Cubs this winter. There was a belief that the Cubs may have included Wicks in a deal at the MLB trade deadline, but the idea of losing Major League pitching depth wasn't at the forefront of Jed Hoyer's thinking.

Jordan Wicks' days with the Cubs are likely numbered

To be fair, the Cubs have a need in their rotation and several holes in their bullpen. The argument could be made that they aren't in a position to subtract from their pitching depth. That being said, Wicks wasn't really factored into that equation during the regular season, so his subtraction wouldn't be felt in the same way as Brad Keller's potential exit.

The problem for the Cubs is that the ship may have sailed on Wicks' trade value. Only 26 and under control until 2030, there likely is a team that would be willing to take a flier on Wicks as a change-of-scenery candidate. For the Cubs, however, the issue is that Wicks, on his own, can't carry a package in a trade that addresses one of their needs this offseason. This has the trend of Wicks being included as the final piece of a larger trade.

The only thing that could keep Wicks with the Cubs' organization is the status of Javier Assad. Assad is an arbitration-eligible player this offseason, but his being left off the team's playoff roster also makes him a non-tender candidate. If Assad is non-tendered, the Cubs could keep Wicks around, considering he still has two minor-league options.