Report: Cubs Have Discussed Trades with Diamondbacks, Athletics

With less than two weeks until the trade deadline, teams are ramping up their discussions about potential deals. This includes the Cubs, who have cemented themselves as one of the best teams in baseball. A clear need for Jed Hoyer’s team is starting pitching, as injuries to Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon have put them in a tough spot. Even if Taillon returns in August, the Cubs can use both top-end talent and depth.

To that end, Matt Trueblood of Northside Baseball has reported that the Cubs have had discussions with the Athletics and Diamondbacks about deals that could satisfy more than area of need.

The Athletics have a few pieces that could be of interest, with three being specifically named in Trueblood’s report: Luis Severino, Luis Urías, and Mason Miller. Severino has a 5.16 ERA on the season, but his 3.04 mark on the road shows that he may just simply not be comfortable in Sacramento. He’s mentioned his disdain for playing at Sutter Health Park, but the stats also show he’s better when pitching elsewhere. Urías doesn’t seem like too intriguing of a replacement for Shaw, as his hitting isn’t enough of an upgrade to warrant sending a prospect package to Sacramento.

Miller has been connected to the Cubs for quite some time. He debuted against them in 2023 and was a hot commodity at last year’s deadline, but he’s been getting pretty unlucky this year. His ERA is 4.04, but a 2.86 FIP helps peel back the curtain on his true performance. His 40.1% strikeout rate and 38.5% groundball tell you he can be an excellent high-leverage reliever. There has been talk of him being a starter, which was his role when he debuted, but it’s unclear if the Cubs would like to try him in that fashion.

The Diamondbacks should have been one of the best teams in the National League, but injuries have ruined their season. Corbin Burnes is done for the year, as are Justin Martinez and Jordan Montgomery after undergoing Tommy John surgeries. With their season likely over, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Eugenio Suárez will be mentioned frequently in trade rumors.

Gallen has a 5.40 ERA in 115 innings this season, which should lower his price substantially. He’s only under contract for the rest of the 2025 season, lowering his value even more. Arizona could try to extend him or keep him around with hopes that he comes back in free agency. He’s been great before and could serve as depth if the Cubs feel they can turn around his disastrous season.

One of the most intriguing rentals available, Kelly has a 1.05 WHIP in 20 starts for the Diamondbacks. He’s been phenomenal this season and is only earning $7 million on the year. His chase rate of 31.3% is in the 82nd percentile, and his walk rate of 7.1% is in the 69th percentile. The mild prospect price could easily be worth it for Hoyer, as acquiring Kelly should leave room in the budget for another strong starting pitcher at the deadline.

Statistics aside, hearing Pat Hughes say “Ay-yoo-HAY-nee-oh Suárez” for the rest of this season would make any trade worth it. The power-hitting third baseman and well-known Cubs killer has 31 home runs, a decent average, and a passable arm. Matt Shaw has not been producing offensively, so the Cubs could really use a boost at the plate. Trading for Suárez would not mean the Cubs are giving up on Shaw, only that they’re serious at making a run at the World Series while Kyle Tucker is still under contract.

A fun thing about the trade deadline is that there are many rumors fans never hear about. Teams are always talking about potential moves behind the scenes, most of which never come to fruition. Nonetheless, it should be a fun next week and a half.

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