Cubs trade rumors tracker: Could Cubs relievers still be on the move?

The Chicago Cubs trade rumors are picking up now that they’ve seemingly picked a lane the trade deadline approaches. They hoped they’d be tapping into the trade market for some potential rental acquisitions when the calendar flipped to July. Instead, they’re not expecting to make additions that only help the 2024 club before the deadline at 5 p.m. on July 30.

However, there aren’t a ton of sellable assets on the current Cubs roster. Things like long-term, big money deals, no-trade clauses and underperformance might make it harder to recoup as much value as they could for major league pieces. This team wasn’t really built to sell.

But that seems to be the course of action, to some degree, as the end of July nears and this team hasn’t wholly turned its season around. Until we ultimately see what happens before the deadline, here is CHGO’s hub for tracking Cubs trade rumors.

Cubs trade rumors: Reportedly listening to offers on almost anyone but focusing on relievers (July 28)

RUMOR: The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma reported on July 28 indications that “while the Cubs are listening about almost anyone, there is a focus on relievers.”

ANALYSIS: This isn’t a surprise, because if the Cubs are going to sell off any 2024 pieces, it seems their bullpen would be the place to look. Sharma mentions Drew Smyly, Héctor Neris, Mark Leiter Jr. and Julian Merryweather as “four names who are most frequently being brought up by contending teams as they look to pry away relievers from Chicago.”

We’ve discussed Leiter, Neris and Smyly a bit before regarding their status in Cubs trade rumors here. They’ve all played their roles in helping stabilize the Cubs’ bullpen — in particular Leiter, who still has not allowed a baserunner in seven outings since coming off the injured list earlier in July. They each also have different contractual situations: Leiter has two more arbitration-eligible seasons after 2024; Neris has a 2025 club option that converts to a $9 million player option if he reaches 60 appearances (he reached 40 on July 28); and Smyly has a 2025 mutual option that would require a $2.5 million buyout.

Merryweather is an interesting case, mostly due to how little he’s pitched this season. He didn’t appear in a game for the Cubs between April 5 and July 23 while dealing with a rib stress fracture in his back. However, he was a strong part of the Cubs’ bullpen in 2023, and Sharma reports team are interested in Merryweather due to that “impressive season” plus his “nasty stuff.”

He hasn’t been perfect since returning, giving up four hits, a walk and a run over 1 2/3 innings. But he’s still averaging right around 96 mph with his four-seamer and still has a very strong slider. Interested teams who believe he’s fully healthy might be interested in the idea of a reliever who hasn’t had a heavy workload in 2024 and also has two more years of control after this season.

Cubs trade rumors: Cubs reportedly checked in on Snell (July 28)

RUMOR: The New York Post’s Jon Heyman said on X on July 28 that the “Cubs are one of the six or so teams to check in on [San Francisco Giants starter] Blake Snell.”

ANALYSIS: Snell has looked better recently (0.75 ERA in four July starts) after his early season struggles, and he seems to be healthy now after having two separate, roughly month-long stints on the injured list in the first half.

However, this sort of deal doesn’t necessarily make sense with what the Cubs are trying to do at the deadline. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said on July 22 moves the team might make would come with 2025 and beyond in mind versus moves just to help in 2024. Snell is an interesting case because of his $30 million player option for 2025, which could make him either a 2024 rental or a high-priced starter for the rest of this year plus next year.

It just doesn’t fit the Cubs’ picture. Say, if they do move Jameson Taillon and get the rest of his contract ($18 million a year over the next two years) off the books, maybe there’s more of a chance the Cubs could go after Snell. Even then, as he has rebounded this month, that increases the likelihood he opts out after this season as long as he can continue pitching well. And Hoyer isn’t looking for rentals right now.

Considering the two moves the Cubs did make this weekend — acquiring Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays and Nate Pearson from the Toronto Blue Jays — don’t involve taking on big contracts, and those two players have years of club control left, Snell to the Cubs probably shouldn’t be the expectation.

Cubs trade rumors: Taillon ‘would love to stay’ in Chicago with trade deadline approaching (July 23)

RUMOR: After his start against the Brewers on July 23, Jameson Taillon said he “would love to stay” with the Cubs beyond the July 30 trade deadline.

ANALYSIS: Taillon’s name has been mentioned plenty in Cubs trade rumors with now a week until the deadline. However, the 32-year-old starter has made it clear he wants to stay in Chicago. He signed a four-year, $68 million contract before the 2023 season, and he was frank in saying on July 23 “I chose coming to Chicago and being a Cub.”

However, Taillon knows the Cubs “should be better than we are, but to this point, we just haven’t gotten it done, and results speak louder than any words we can say here.” He understands the team has put itself in position where the front office is focused on making moves for 2025 and beyond versus making moves solely to help in 2024.

That could ultimately mean Taillon — who lowered his ERA on the year to 2.96 and remains one of the top starters potentially on the market — gets traded if the return presents enough value to not hurt the Cubs’ outlook next season. But again, he wants to remain with the team he chose to sign with in free agency. He said he loves showing up to play with “a great group of guys.”

His wishes may ultimately not matter, though, as this business so often shows. If the Cubs can get a fair return at a time when starting pitching is in demand, it could mean the end of Taillon’s time with Chicago.

Cubs trade rumors: Leiter, Neris, Miller, Taillon and Morel reportedly garnering interest ahead of trade deadline (July 22)

RUMOR: ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported on July 22 that “scouts have been evaluating” Mark Leiter Jr., Héctor Neris and Tyson Miller, while Jameson Taillon and Christopher Morel have “also garnered interest.”

ANALYSIS: Rogers didn’t name any specific teams who’ve expressed interest in these players, but these names mostly make sense.

The reliever group of Leiter, Neris and Miller have been a big part of the Cubs’ bullpen turnaround, and teams will likely be interested in acquiring them. Leiter and Miller both have multiple years of control remaining, so they should be attractive options. Neris, whose contract (per RosterResource) includes a 2025 club option that turns into a $9 million player option if he reaches 60 appearances this season (he was at 37 as of July 23), may be a bit more difficult to move but could still get some interest on the market.

Taillon has a 3.10 ERA through 16 starts this season (which would be a career-high mark for him) after beginning the year on the injured list with a back strain. An acquiring team would of course want him to contribute for the rest of 2024, but that he’s got two more seasons (and $36 million) on his deal — certainly not an unreasonable number — means he can contribute beyond this year, too. That could also be attractive for teams looking for good starting pitching help now and in the immediate future.

Morel has struggled to find results at the plate this season (.202/.304/.382/95 WRC+), and the third-base experience has not gone very well. Still, he’s got four more years of club control, and his offensive upside should be higher than he’s shown this season. Plus, the addition of his rough defensive season means they could be dealing him at a lower perceived value than it could’ve been even last offseason.

And of course, interested teams would likely have concerns about acquiring a struggling right-handed bat who has no real defensive home currently, although his power potential is intriguing. Morel just seems the least likely of this bunch to be moved, but not impossible.

Cubs trade rumors: Cubs not expecting to buy for 2024 ahead of trade deadline (July 22)

RUMOR: In regards to what direction the team will take at the upcoming trade deadline, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said on July 22 that “unless things change over the next week, I think we probably won’t do a lot of moves that only help us for this year.”

ANALYSIS: The Cubs just haven’t put themselves in a good place to be buyers this season, considering they’re far out of the division lead and multiple teams are standing in their way of a wild card spot. With less than a week of games left before the deadline, it may not make the most sense for the team to go all-in and add rental pieces to make a playoff push.

That doesn’t mean the team is giving up on the season. Just because rental pieces won’t be added, and just because some smaller pieces may get dealt, that doesn’t mean the season is over with two months to play. Many of the core pieces who were expected to help the team compete more this season are on bigger contracts, have no-trade clauses or specific options, are injured or are still thought of as contributors to the “Next Great Cubs Team.” Most should still be around and can help the team over the last two months.

Plus, a sell-off isn’t likely. Beyond the contracts and clauses and options and such that’ll make it hard to trade some players, Hoyer is still committed to competing in 2025. To give up easier-to-move pieces (like Justin Steele or Nico Hoerner, for instance) just to get some value out of this deadline wouldn’t necessarily fit with still looking to compete next season.

So in other words, Hoyer may deal some big league pieces leading up to the July 30 deadline, but don’t expect a bunch of major trades of important pieces to occur. Just don’t expect any 2024 rentals to be heading to Wrigley Field, either.

Cubs trade rumors: Cubs have reportedly had talks about Taillon with Yankees, Red Sox (July 21)

RUMOR: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on July 21 that the Cubs “have had talks” with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees about Jameson Taillon, though the Cubs are “undecided whether they will be buyers or sellers.”

ANALYSIS: This tracks with the situation the Cubs have been stuck in for most of July. They haven’t yet picked a lane either way between buying and selling — though dropping a series to the Arizona Diamondback to open the second half could help push them in the seller direction.

In Taillon, an acquiring team like Boston or New York would be getting a reliable arm who can certainly help a rotation down the stretch. After starting the year on the injured list with a back strain, Taillon has posted a 3.10 ERA through 16 starts, which would be the lowest single-season mark of his career. And considering he’s still got two years and $36 million on his contract after 2024, he’s someone who can help a team now and in the immediate future. That could prove extra valuable in any deal for the 32-year-old.

Cubs trade rumors: Cubs reportedly interested in Blue Jays’ Jansen (July 14)

RUMOR: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on July 14 that the Cubs have expressed interest in Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen.

ANALYSIS: Have the Cubs finally made the jump from selling to buying? After an 8-3 stretch heading into the All-Star break, it seems they’re at the very least on the right track.

As for what the Cubs would get if they trade for Jansen — it’s unclear if any serious discussions between the teams have happened — he’d seem to be an immediate upgrade at catcher. Between Miguel Amaya, Tomás Nido and Yan Gomes at the spot this season, Cubs catchers have a combined 41 wRC+ (29th in baseball) and have been worth -1.3 Wins Above Replacement (the worst mark in baseball, per FanGraphs). The switch from Gomes to Nido hasn’t done much to spark the group offensively, as Nido’s 15 wRC+ thus far matches what Gomes put together before he got designated for assignment.

So, despite the fact that Jansen’s numbers have dropped off a lot since the start of June (41 wRC+ in that time, though a .172 BABIP suggests some positive regression), his bat (103 wRC+ on the season) would still be an upgrade.

Jansen is also a free agent at the end of the season, so the cost to acquire him probably isn’t too high. It may not make sense for the Cubs to pursue bigger-name rentals at the deadline (if any of them even become available), but if they do end up buying, a smaller deal for Jansen to help fill a hole in the lineup is certainly possible.

Cubs trade rumors: Happ values ‘security’ with Cubs (July 11)

RUMOR: Speaking to The Athletic, Ian Happ discussed why he values being with the Cubs.

ANALYSIS: Happ signed his contract extension at the beginning of the 2023 season, and included in that is a full no-trade clause. That means, if the Cubs were to sell at the upcoming trade deadline, he’d have to sign off on any deal that would be sending him out of Chicago. And based on what he said to The Athletic, it seems there’s much he values about being here.

“This organization has meant so much to me,” Happ told The Athletic. “The opportunity I’ve been given, the honor to represent the city and the uniform, and the history of that, those things mean a lot to me. Not to mention the family aspect of my wife’s from Chicago. It’s an important place to us. You don’t get a lot of security in this game. And it takes a long time to get it.”

Is that Happ completely ruling out a trade? Not 100 percent, but it seems about as close to it as you can get. Now, the Cubs have started to put together a run through the first week-and-a-half of July, so they may be playing their way back into buying at the deadline. But even if they indeed sell at the end of the month, the likelihood that Happ would let himself be dealt — he’s looked quite strong at the plate for a while and could otherwise be a good trade chip — doesn’t seem to be very high.

Cubs trade rumors: Cubs reportedly ‘undecided’ about selling at deadline (July 7)

RUMOR: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on July 7 that the Cubs have been telling interested teams “they still remain undecided” on if they will be sellers ahead of the trade deadline “but are preparing for a potential sale.”

ANALYSIS: This tracks with how Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has spoken publicly, acknowledging the reality that the Cubs just have to play better in July whenever he’s been asked about the trade deadline. That they’d be preparing for a potential sale without fully committing to one means they’re still hoping for a turnaround this month, one that at least gains ground in the NL wild card race and gets them in a position where making a push makes sense.

Ultimately, since they entered July 8 42-49 and 5 1/2 games back of the wild card, preparing to sell while staying in wait-and-see mode is probably the best course of action for a Cubs team who came into the season with selling seemingly not an option.

Nightengale also mentioned Cody Bellinger, Jameson Taillon and Nico Hoerner as Cubs expected to draw interest. Bellinger has two years and $52.5 million left on his deal beyond this season, though he’s also got opt-outs after both this year and next. Taillon and Hoerner are both signed through 2026, with Taillon owed $36 million and Hoerner owed $23.5 million across 2025-26.

Cubs trade rumors: Bellinger ‘definitely not going to think about’ trade rumors (July 2)

RUMOR: Cody Bellinger says he won’t think about trade rumors as the Cubs keep moving toward selling.

ANALYSIS: After the Cubs dropped the series opener to the Phillies on July 2, Bellinger was asked for his thoughts on starting this month with his team being on the “sellers” side of trade talk for the second straight year. Bellinger is likely to be a big part of Cubs trade rumors in that scenario, but he’s going to avoid thinking about that.

“It feels like it’s a little different this year,” Bellinger said. “But just like last year, I mean, I’m definitely not going to think about it. I feel like, just like everything, it’s a distraction to what you need to accomplish. I won’t think about it and just take it day by day.”

Bellinger noted the good communication he had last year with the front office, and he expects that same communication again in 2024 “if it does come to that.” He also didn’t elaborate on why this year feels different, but there is a difference in his contract status.

Instead of being on a one-year, $17.5 million deal as he was last season, Bellinger’s situation is more complicated. He could still be owed another $52.5 million across the 2025-26 seasons, though with opt outs after this year and next, what deal an acquiring team would be getting has to be a consideration in any trade scenario.

Cubs trade rumors: Hoyer does not rule out selling at deadline (June 28)

RUMOR: Speaking in Milwaukee on June 28, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer didn’t completely rule out the team being sellers.

ANALYSIS: What a wild ride the last two months has been for the Cubs. On April 26, when they were 17-9, there couldn’t have been many who even considered they’d be selling at the deadline. Even in May and early June, the talk was more about “the Cubs need to turn this around so they don’t fall too far back in the standings” versus “the Cubs need to turn it around so they don’t force Jed to sell.”

But this is where we’re at now. Instead of being asked what the Cubs are looking to add before the deadline, Hoyer is getting questions about if selling is even off the table anymore — and he is far from saying that isn’t an option.

“I mean, we have to play well this month,” Hoyer said. “I think you have to be a realist when you get to that point. That’s not where we are mentally. But yeah, always in this job, you have to be a realist. You have to make the best decisions for the organization based on the hand you’re dealt that year. We’ll see where that is.”

Cubs trade rumors: Yankees, Rangers among teams reportedly scouting Cubs (June 28)

RUMOR: The Athletic reported on June 28 that, as the Cubs have struggled and have lost ground in the playoff race, teams such as the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers “have recently had a noticeable scouting presence around the club.”

ANALYSIS: Ultimately, this makes sense. A team like the Cubs going in the wrong direction as the trade deadline approaches should mean other clubs are checking in. The Rangers are a bit of a surprise, considering their record (38-46) and their place in the standings (eight games back in both the AL West and the AL wild card) entering July 1. But the Yankees are one of the top teams in MLB; them taking a look is not surprising at all.

The Athletic’s piece also mentions Cody Bellinger as someone whose name may get discussed more around the deadline if the Cubs’ ship keeps sinking. He was a trade candidate last season before the Cubs rattled off enough wins to keep the front office from selling, with New York reportedly being one of the interested ball clubs.

Bellinger is productive at the plate, and he’s the rare player who can provide reliable defense at all three outfield positions and first base. However, he’s not necessarily having the kind of season (109 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR entering July 1) that’s living up to the three-year, $80 million contract he signed during the offseason.

Any acquiring team would take on a player with a deal that could make him a rental for the rest of this season or could guarantee him a lot of money if he doesn’t exercise his opt outs after either 2024 or ’25. That will be a consideration.