Chicago Cubs: This trade target could offer ‘best of both worlds’ deadline solution

The Chicago Cubs find themselves in a bit of a tough spot right now. After a brilliant start of the season which saw them put up two ten-game winning streaks, they suffered through a brutal May-early June fall from grace that saw them go from first place to fourth place in the NL Central Division.

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But as Thursday’s thrilling 7-6 walkoff win over the Athletics clearly shows, there is still a tremendous upside to what this team can do.

The rest of June will probably decide whether the Cubs are all in the way in, destined to be aggressive buyers at the August 3 trade deadline, or if they’ll hold back in favor of minor moves to just get them into the playoffs.

Ideally, the front office would like to acquire an impact pitcher who also has years of team control ahead rather than a three-month rental. Although, if the team is cooking and seen as a real postseason threat, they may bite the bullet and give up some prospect capital for a stellar short-term arm.

A ‘best of both worlds’ acquisition?

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The cautious, pragmatic Cubs, however, could opt to make a deadline compromise of sorts. They could eschew the big rentals like Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta in favor of a lesser impact arm who could be an important part of the team through next season and beyond.

Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib brings up the name Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels as one possible target.

Per Campbell:

“It might be closer to a doomsdays scenario for the front office, but it’s fair to wonder if the team rolls back the strategy they had at the 2024 trade deadline. Sell-off some pieces, the Cubs have a number of impending free agents, but add major league talent under control beyond this season.

If that is the approach, Skubal isn’t wrapping up the 2026 season at Wrigley Field. Instead, someone like Reid Detmers could be a target for the Cubs. The former Los Angeles Angels first-round pick is under control through the 2029 season, and is striking out over 28% of the hitter he’s faced in 68 innings pitched this season. He does have an ERA of 4.63, but his 2.98 FIP speaks to the success he has had in his return to the rotation.”

Reid Detmers as a target?

Detmers hasn’t been consistently “lights out” by any stretch of the imagination, with his 4.63 ERA this season and 4.75 career mark. He is, however, a 26-year-old work in progress with high upside potential and under team control through 2028. Acquiring him probably wouldn’t drain Chicago’s reserve of prospect capital either.

The young lefty isn’t the only pitcher the Cubs could target for both immediate need as well as future depth. With Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga eligible for free agency at the end of this season, the front office will have to figure out a way to bring in starting pitching that doesn’t break the bank all at once.

Someone like Detmers could help do that, as well as help the team right now.

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