By Patrick Mooney, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon MLB trade deadline watch is a collection of news and notes from our reporting team of Patrick Mooney, Will Sammon, Katie Woo and Ken Rosenthal. With a losing record and so many teams in front of them in the National League, the Chicago Cubs don’t foresee a scenario in which they become buyers at the July 30 trade deadline, according to sources familiar with the team’s plans. That comes with an acknowledgment that the Cubs don’t have great pieces to sell, though they do have an expectation to contend in 2025, leaving them stuck in the middle.
Advertisement Unless the Cubs somehow get creative and become opportunistic. Most front offices use those buzzwords at this time of year, and the Cubs remain in listening mode. Though the asking price would surely be astronomical, those conversations could theoretically include offers for standout left-hander Justin Steele .
But the Cubs aren’t going to stretch to acquire two-month rental players and hope things suddenly get better. After 101 games, the Cubs are five under .500 and a half-game out of last place in their division.
Losing their first series out of the All-Star break slowed any sense of momentum. “We’re not in good shape,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Sunday at Wrigley Field. “We got to get it going fast here.
” The Cubs avoided a sweep with a 2-1, 10-inning win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that left them only 3 1/2 games out of the last wild-card spot. B.