The Chicago Cubs are in the market for a pitcher. The ace of their staff, Justin Steele, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an elbow injury. The news means that their rotation got a whole lot thinner way too quickly into the 2025 season, but the Cubs still want to contend for the World Series. At 14-9, they are in first place in the National League Central.
The team could trade for Minnesota Twins ace Pablo Lopez in an effort to stay afloat for the rest of the season. The Twins have gotten off to a poor start (7-14) and ownership is in doubt, so the team could look to save some money.
So, what deal could the Cubs strike with the Twins for Lopez?
Potential Cubs trade proposal for Pablo Lopez
Cubs receive: Pablo Lopez
Twins receive: Kevin Alcantara (Cubs No. 6 prospect, MLB No. 86), James Triantos (Cubs No. 5, MLB No. 69), Jack Neely (Cubs No. 16)
Lopez is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he’d be a great fit atop the Cubs rotation. Without Steele, the team is left with Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Ben Brown on its staff. The Cubs desperately need another pitcher if they are to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Therefore, the Cubs should be willing to make whatever moves are necessary to improve, and they shouldn’t wait until the MLB trade deadline to do so. That is especially the case because the NL Central is arguably the weakest division in baseball, so this is a prime season to rack up a lot of wins.
Lopez is a former All-Star who has had a sub-four ERA in four of the last five seasons. He is on the 15-day Injured List right now, but he was pitching well before suffering a hamstring strain. Lopez is well on his way to returning, and already made a rehab start.
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