MLB insiders deliver bad news for Chicago Cubs’ pursuit of top pitcher on trade market

The Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of pitching ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline this weekend. They could use some upgrades in both the starting rotation and bullpen due to their injury situation.

As the Cubs sit in a wild card spot currently, they can still make a push for the NL Central but it could be tough to catch the Milwaukee Brewers. Either way, Chicago needs to make some moves to help their pitching situation in the postseason.

But is ace Tarik Skubal an option?

Many have linked the Cubs to Skubal just for the fact that they need pitching. However, a few reports this week now suggest otherwise.

Ken Rosenthal, Jeff Passon deliver bad news for Chicago Cubs

Tarik Skubal should be the prize at the MLB trade deadline with the Detroit Tigers likely hearing offers for him. Skubal has just these last few months of team control and will hit the open free agent market this offseason. He’s expected to generate a large contract of $350 million-plus in free agency. While the Cubs have some top prospects they could part ways with, does it make sense?

Ken Rosenthal noted the teams that are expected to inquire about Skubal and he didn’t include the Cubs:

The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the clubs expected to inquire on Skubal, the reigning AL back-to-back Cy Young winner.

The Tigers are now seven games under .500, six games out in the AL Central and four games back in the AL wild-card race, with four teams ahead of them. Some clubs believe they might be willing to trade Skubal regardless of their position in the standings, as long as their asking price is met.

This isn’t the first time Milwaukee has been connected to Skubal, either. That could put pressure on the Cubs to make a move and land a pitcher elsewhere at the deadline.

On Monday, MLB insider Jeff Passan echoed something similar regarding Skubal and Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan:

I think they know they’d have to gut their system for either Skubal or Ryan, and I don’t think that’s something they’re willing to do. Maybe if Matt Shaw is part of such a package, they could swing it, but if they’re holding Josiah Hartshorn, it’s going to take more. The important question here that we don’t know the answer to is whether the Tigers and Twins are seeking a smaller package with better-regarded prospects or whether they want to go pure volume.

It’s going to cost a lot to acquire someone like Skubal and at this point, it would be surprising if the Cubs were in on him.

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