Chicago Cubs: MLB insiders reveal how many pitchers team wants to add at 2026 trade deadline

It is no secret that the Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of pitching ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline. All season long, the Cubs have suffered injury after injury to their staff. Multiple starters have landed on the injury list over the course of year, and some of them have landed there multiple times.

Additionally, Chicago’s bullpen has been ravaged by injuries. If they are to have any hope of erasing their 6.5-game deficit in the National League Central Division and/or make a deep run in the postseason, they need to fortify their beleaguered pitching staff.

The Chicago Cubs wants 3 pitchers at the MLB trade deadline

Over the course of the past several weeks, there have been many pitchers linked to the Cubs in trade rumors. With the deadline just a couple of days away, it will be very interesting to see which ones Chicago is able to grab.

Regardless of the names, MLB insiders at The Athletic have revealed that the Cubs want to add no less than three pitchers to their roster:

“Ideally, the Cubs want to add three pitchers before Monday’s deadline, according to a person briefed on their thinking – two starters and a reliever or two relievers and a starter. All that might not be possible, but the supply of both rotation and bullpen options is plentiful, creating numerous possibilities.”

As one can see from above, Chicago wants to add two starters and a reliever, or two relievers and a starter. Given the fact that they have a couple of starters nearing return from injury, they may try to add more relief arms.

That being said, very few in the Cubs starting rotation have shown they are capable of staying healthy this year. Regardless of who they get and how deep they make it in the playoffs, one can be sure that pitching will continue to be a huge emphasis going forward.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw named perfect trade bait for pitcher
• Why the Cubs are not likely to land Tarik Skubal ahead of MLB trade deadline
• 3 brutal reality checks for the Cubs ahead of the MLB trade deadline

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