Throughout the offseason, the Chicago Cubs have focused on bolstering their pitching staff, and while they’ve added more arms, they still need another starter. In a recent podcast, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic discussed the Cubs’ remaining offseason moves. Pitching was a major topic, but it was revealed that the Cubs are unlikely to trade for either of the San Diego Padres’ star starting pitchers.
On Friday, the Padres agreed to a one-year contract with Michael King, which includes a mutual option for the 2026 season. The deal is worth less than King’s projected arbitration salary, but with added bonuses that could total $8 million, including $50K if he starts 20 games and bonuses for 25-28 starts. While this contract doesn’t rule out the possibility of King being traded, it helps the Padres financially and could help them retain him.
As for Dylan Cease, while the Padres might be open to trading him to the Cubs, it would likely require them to part with Matt Shaw. Trading Shaw for Cease, who is set to hit free agency in 2026, would be a difficult decision. In Chicago’s search for a starter, it seems unlikely that a trade for either King or Cease will materialize.
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