The MLB trade deadline has passed. Our thoughts and reactions to the Cubs’ flurry of moves…
TRANSACTION TRACKER
LAST UPDATED: Aug. 3 – 5 p.m.
Acquisitions, updates & reactions
Aug. 3, 4 p.m. – Cubs get Clay Holmes, Tyrone Taylor
The Cubs are acquiring RHP Clay Holmes and OF Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets for INF Jefferson Rojas.
Patrick Norton: Holmes, 33, hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since May 15, when he suffered a fractured fibula on a line-drive comebacker. He is ready, however, to come off the 60-day injured list.
If this is Jed Hoyer’s final move before the trade deadline passes, it’s a solid one. Of the available “rental” arms on the market, Hoyer picked up two of the best in Holmes and Kevin Gausman.
Holmes sits in the 95th percentile in groundball rate (55.3 percent) and features a nasty sinker that he utilizes nearly 50 percent of the time.
Assuming the Cubs were satisfied with the medicals to push the trade forward, Holmes rounds out an impressively transformed rotation with Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matt Boyd and David Peterson. That doesn’t include Edward Cabrera, who is on track to return later in August, or Ben Brown, who is still without a timeline to return.
The price is hefty. Jefferson Rojas is the Cubs’ No. 2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline (No. 63 overall). He instantly becomes the Mets’ highest-rated prospect.
Tony Andracki: Jed Hoyer’s front office drove home its aggressive approach to the deadline in a big trade that fills a pair of needs on the Cubs roster.
Holmes will slot in the rotation alongside fellow trade deadline acquisition Kevin Gausman, representing a significant upgrade in the last 24 hours.
The Cubs’ need was clear entering Monday’s deadline — they had to add pitching depth and improve the quality in both the rotation and bullpen as the team attempts to make a deep run in October.
Holmes, Gausman and reliever Ryan Zeferjahn certainly deliver on that goal (as well as Braxton Garrett, though he is more of a long-term option than a solution for 2026). Javier Assad and Colin Rea are expected to fold into the bullpen, though Craig Counsell acknowledged the team will go with six starters at times throughout the remainder of the season.
As Patrick mentioned, Holmes is a rental and this is a big price to pay with Rojas. But Rojas is blocked in Chicago for the next several years with the Cubs’ infield filled by veterans under contract, plus fellow youngsters Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez have already proven they are big-league ballplayers and serve as more infield depth.
Holmes has already been very good this season (and since joining the rotation full-time last year) but could see a similar boost as former teammate Peterson moving from the Mets (one of the worst defensive teams in baseball) to the Cubs, who feature arguably the best defensive group in the league.
Taylor also fills an underrated need as a right-handed bat and a veteran that can play all three outfield spots well. The Cubs have been searching for more offense from the right side this season ever since slugger Tyler Austin landed on the shelf in spring training.
When facing left-handed starting pitchers, the Cubs have often utilized both catchers (Carson Kelly, Miguel Amaya) in the lineup — one behind the plate and one at DH. Taylor has mashed lefties this year (.301 AVG, .900 OPS) and gives Counsell more options to mix and match with the lineup or late in games.
All in all, this is a very, very strong trade deadline haul for the Cubs and the roster is markedly better than it was a couple days ago.
Aug. 3, 3:20 p.m. – Cubs acquire Ryan Zeferjahn
The Cubs are acquiring right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for catcher/designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros and minor-league pitcher Mason McGwire.
Tony Andracki: Zeferjahn represents a big addition to the Cubs bullpen, filling an important need as a right-hander who misses an awful lot of bats.
The 28-year-old is striking out more than a third of the batters he’s faced this season (33.5%), with 75 whiffs in 51.2 innings.
The Cubs bullpen entered Monday ranking 21st in MLB in strikeout percentage (21.3%), with only the Arizona Diamondbacks below them in terms of teams currently holding a playoff spot.
Manager Craig Counsell has been vocal about his desire for relievers to just get outs however they can, but admitted Friday that the ability to miss bats is a major plus.
“The strikeouts are great,” Counsell said. “I like strikeouts. The analysts love strikeouts. Jed loves strikeouts. The pitchers love strikeouts. Hitters don’t. Obviously, that’s what you want. Every pitcher, they want to get them out. If you ask them how they want to get them out, they want to strike them out. But it’s also harder to do.”
It’s not as hard for Zeferjahn, who ranks in the 97th percentile in strikeout rate. He also sits in the 100th percentile in MLB in expected batting average against (.161) in the midst of a breakout season. He has four saves and nine holds and should slot into the back end of the Cubs bullpen immediately.
The Cubs were targeting bullpen help ahead of the deadline and right-handers were of particular interest. The team has found a diamond in the rough in Ryan Rolison as well as veteran Caleb Thielbar from the left side. Hoby Milner is also tracking toward a return from the IL after an appendectomy in late June.
The Cubs could have yet another lefty in the bullpen down the stretch if Justin Steele returns. The Cubs have already said he won’t impact the rotation and he is working hard to try to help the team in September and potentially October as well.
Zeferjahn is also under team control through the 2030 season, so he could be a long-term piece of the Cubs bullpen.
Moisés Ballesteros is certainly a tough price to pay for Zeferjahn. The 22-year-old catcher/DH was a big factor with his bat late last year and early this season, but ran into a slump and was ultimately optioned to the minors.
With Pedro Ramirez playing well and Michael Conforto as another left-handed option, the Cubs feel good about their depth at DH for the remainder of this season. Ballesteros still may turn into a quality big-leaguer, but his long-term position was a question mark and for the Cubs, they simply had to pay a decent price to acquire a talented reliever who is under team control for multiple years.
Aug. 3, 2:15 p.m. – Cubs acquire Braxton Garrett
With nearly three hours until the trade deadline passes, the Cubs added another arm to the fold, acquiring LHP Braxton Garrett from the Marlins in exchange for first INF Jonathan Long and RHP Jace Beck, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Jared Wyllys: This is a move with ramifications beyond this season. Garrett had UCL surgery on his left elbow at the end of 2024 and has only pitched twice at the major league level in 2026. That said, Garrett has the potential to add depth to the starting rotation in the short term, but because he is under team control through 2028, the Cubs have acquired a pitcher who can help them in future seasons.
The intriguing thing about Garrett is that in 16 Triple-A starts this year, he has a 2.90 ERA, so the gaudy numbers he has in his two big league starts are not indicative of his potential. Garrett has lively stuff and given the success the Cubs’ pitching group has had in tapping into potential from other pitchers with similar profiles, Garrett could end up being one of the better moves of this deadline for the Cubs.
The cost seems a bit high in sending away Jonathan Long in particular, but the reality is that Long was never likely to get much of a shot at the big league level in the Cubs’ system. Getting some value in return for him was the right move.
Tony Andracki: This move is a strong indicator of how the Cubs’ season has gone thus far — and their desire for pitching depth.
It has been a whirlwind year with the insane amount of pitching injuries and the Cubs want to ensure they have enough arms to get through the rest of the season.
Craig Counsell underscored that point on Friday when asked about the Cubs potentially acquiring pitchers at the deadline.
“It’s more of just the way the rules work now,” Counsell said. “The reason why the deadline is maybe a little different than five years ago is you can’t add any more players. So this is your organization. From Jed’s perspective, that’s the biggest deal is this is your team for the next two-plus months.
“In a previous iteration of the rules, there was an August 31 date that extended this that I think changed things quite a bit.”
What Counsell is referring to is the waiver deadline that typically fell a month after the trade deadline. It was more complicated, but still provided another possible outlet for teams to add to their roster ahead of the final month of the season.
Garrett is also a long-term play as a controllable starter coming off a second major elbow surgery in December 2024 that forced him to miss the entirety of 2025. The 28-year-old southpaw is under team control through the 2028 season and carries a high pedigree as a former first-round pick (seventh overall in 2016).
Aug. 2, 8:10 p.m. – Cubs acquire Kevin Gausman
The Cubs and Blue Jays have struck a deal for the second time on Sunday, with the Cubs acquiring RHP Kevin Gausman in exchange for OF Brett Bateman and INF Ty Southisene, per The Athletic.
Tony Andracki: This is a huge deal for the Cubs. One of the top rental starters on the market, Gausman is a legitimate addition to the Chicago rotation.
This move is an important boost for the rest of the regular season, but it is also a big factor for the playoffs. Gausman very well could be a Game 1 starter for the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series (or the NLDS if they can overtake the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central).
The Cubs entered this trade deadline season with a clear need: pitching upgrades. With Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta off the board, Gausman represented one of the best options remaining (though he is a free agent at the end of the year).
Gausman is 35 but has made at least 31 starts in each of the last five seasons and leads the league with 23 starts this year. His 4.38 ERA and 1.29 WHIP this year may not look elite-level, but he posted a 3.34 ERA from 2021-25.
This year, Gausman is still missing bats at a higher clip than anybody else in the Cubs rotation, averaging a strikeout per inning.
He made 6 postseason appearances (5 starts) for the Blue Jays last fall during their run to the World Series, pitching to a 2.93 ERA and 0.91 WHIP.
What’s more: The Cubs didn’t have to pay a hefty price for Gausman given his status as a rental pitcher. Jed Hoyer didn’t have to part with any of his organization’s Top 10 prospects, keeping plenty left in the tank to continue to add to the pitching staff.
Expect the Cubs to add at least one reliever, but it’s not out of the question they add more to the rotation.
Patrick Norton: Gausman is the exact type of starter the Cubs needed to add before Monday’s deadline. He’s only 5-10 with a 4.38 ERA in 2026 but the peripherals, including a 34.4 percent whiff rate, 3.51 FIP and 8.98 K/9, give him an excellent chance to improve with a better club. He also brings extensive playoff experience (56.1 IP, 3.83 ERA).
Is this the big splash for the Cubs before the deadline? It’s possible president of baseball ops. Jed Hoyer opts to improve along the margins the rest of the way before 5 p.m. on Monday. But a current rotation comprised of Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matt Boyd, David Peterson and Colin Rea could probably use another mid-rotation arm if the goal is catching the Milwaukee Brewers atop the NL Central.
Aug. 2, 2:20 p.m. — Jameson Taillon traded
Patrick Norton: Jameson Taillon is off to the Toronto Blue Jays after he was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday. The Cubs will send Taillon and cash considerations in return for either a player to be named later or cash considerations.
This strikes me as an innings-eating move for the Blue Jays, who are expected to shop RHPs Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. For the Cubs, it doesn’t mean much. They’d already cleared the 40-man spot Taillon held when they DFA’d him last week.
Joey Christopoulos: It was only last October Jameson Taillon was saving the Cubs’ season with four shutout innings against the Padres. An invite to pitch for his native Canada was extended in the spring and a contract season was headed in the right direction.
But a 17.55 ERA in Spring Training was shrugged off as Taillon “tinkering.” An early-season propensity to give up the long ball was chalked up to a veteran merely trying to find his groove. Then the baseball started flying over the fence at a historic rate.
Aren’t the Blue Jays selling? And how much money is going with Taillon? Could be a very busy 24 hours for the Cubs.
Aug. 2, 2:20 p.m. — Jameson Taillon traded
Patrick Norton: Jameson Taillon is off to the Toronto Blue Jays after he was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday. The Cubs will send Taillon and cash considerations in return for either a player to be named later or cash considerations.
This strikes me as an innings-eating move for the Blue Jays, who are expected to shop RHPs Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. For the Cubs, it doesn’t mean much. They’d already cleared the 40-man spot Taillon held when they DFA’d him last week.
Joey Christopoulos: It was only last October Jameson Taillon was saving the Cubs season with four shutout innings against the Padres. An invite to pitch for his native Canada was extended in the spring and a contract season was headed in the right direction.
But a 17.55 ERA in Spring Training was shrugged off as Taillon “tinkering.” An early-season propensity to give up the long-ball was chalked up to a veteran merely trying to find his groove. Then the baseball started flying over the fence at a historic rate.
Aren’t the Blue Jays selling? And how much money is going with Taillon? Could be a very busy 24 hours for the Cubs.
Aug. 2, 1 p.m. — Skubal, Peralta update
Patrick Norton: With Tarik Skubal off the board and headed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, another target of the Cubs’ is off the market: Freddy Peralta is headed to the Tampa Bay Rays, per ESPN.
Less than 30 hours from the deadline, the top pitcher on the market is gone and now so is one that ultimately made a lot of sense for the Cubs. Peralta, despite a down start to 2026 with the Mets, would’ve brought familiarity with manager Craig Counsell after the pair spent six years together in Milwaukee.
Peralta made plenty of sense for the Brewers, too, who felt like the most formidable competition to the Dodgers for Skubal’s services. Instead, as starting options begin to move with pace on the market, the Cubs and Brewers are still searching for their first deal of the deadline.
July 31, 1:40 p.m. — Peralta, Mize update
Tony Andracki: Freddy Peralta and Casey Mize were both scratched from their starts Friday with the New York Mets and Detroit Tigers, respectively.
This is an understandable precaution teams take with the trade deadline so close — and it’s a clear indicator that both pitchers should be on the move before Monday wraps up.
The Cubs are in the market for starting pitching and either right-hander would represent a boost to the current rotation. Peralta is of particular interest given his rapport with Craig Counsell from their days in Milwaukee together.
Peralta, 30, is mired in the worst season of his career (4.99 ERA, -0.2 WHIP). But he was an All-Star last season and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting with the Brewers, posting a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a league-leading 17 wins.
Mize, 29, is a former first overall pick back in 2018. He has a 2.70 ERA this season, but has dealt with injury issues throughout his career, never topping more than 150.1 innings in a season. His velocity has also been down in a major way over his last couple starts.
Both pitchers are free agents at the end of the season.
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Other notable Cubs transactions since 7/27
July 31
• [10:36 a.m.] The Cubs have recalled LHP Antoine Kelly from the Iowa Cubs (AAA) and placed RHP Gavin Hollowell on the 15-day injured list (right shoulder inflammation).
July 29
• [5:05 p.m.] The Cubs have selected the contract of RHP Jake Woodford and designated RHP Andrew Wantz for assignment.
July 27
• [3:31 p.m.] The Cubs have selected the contract of RHP Andrew Wantz and designated RHP Jameson Taillon for assignment.
Possible targets & important notes
STARTING PITCHERS
• Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins
The Athletic (Jul. 29): The Marlins are unlikely to make Alcantara available before the deadline.
• Shane Bieber, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
• Reid Detmers, LHP, Los Angeles Angels
• Clay Holmes, RHP, New York Mets
• Casey Mize, RHP, Detroit Tigers
Mize was scratched from his start Friday as a non-injury precaution leading up to the deadline.
• Robbie Ray, LHP, San Francisco Giants
The Athletic (Jul. 29): The Cubs are “considering Tarik Skubal as their blockbuster option” but would still prefer to acquire a starter “under club control beyond this season.”
• José Soriano, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
• Michael Wacha, RHP, Kansas City Royals
• Logan Webb, RHP, San Francisco Giants
RELIEF PITCHERS
• Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
• Mason Miller, RHP, San Diego Padres
• Luke Weaver, RHP, New York Mets
Targets headed elsewhere & other blockbusters
TARIK SKUBAL – Aug. 1
• The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired LHP Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers for OF Zyhir Hope, RHP River Ryan and RHP Brady Smith.
FREDDY PERALTA – Aug. 2
• The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired RHP Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets for OF Aidan Smith, INF Emilien Pitre and RHP Gary Gill Hill.
