The Chicago Cubs have a problem. Their starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries this season and the trade deadline is getting close. The front office knows they need to add a starting pitcher if they want to make a serious run in October. Time is running out and the phones are ringing.
Out west, a team that looked strong on paper at the start of the year has had a rough ride. Things did not go as planned and now their front office is open to dealing players they would not have moved a few months ago. One of those players is a starting pitcher who still has plenty of suitors around the league.
Multiple teams have shown interest but one keeps coming back harder than the rest. The Cubs want a pitcher who can start a playoff game and they are willing to give up real pieces to get one. They have the prospects and they have the motivation. Now they just need the right deal to come together.
That pitcher is Zac Gallen. The Arizona Diamondbacks veteran is the name the Cubs want. He was an All-Star in 2023, nearly won the Cy Young Award that year and helped carry Arizona to the National League pennant. His numbers this season have not been great but the Cubs believe the best version of him is still in there.
Chicago needs a second starter they can trust in the playoffs. Their top arm has been solid but the rest of the rotation has been up and down all season. Gallen walking into Wrigley Field changes that picture completely. A fresh start in a new city could be exactly what he needs to get back to his best.
The Cubs have the prospects to make this deal happen. Arizona wants young talent in return and Chicago has it. If this trade gets done before the deadline the Cubs become one of the most dangerous teams in baseball overnight. For a team built to win right now waiting simply is not an option.
