Heading into trade deadline, Cubs have earned investment from front office

ST. LOUIS — Less than a week from Monday’s MLB trade deadline, the Cubs are poised to bolster a roster that owns the fifth-best record in the majors.

While injuries have tested the pitching staff for the last four months, the Cubs are largely set with their position players. They have one of the deepest lineups in the majors with an MVP contender in center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

And while this season’s journey certainly has tested the Cubs, particularly during the 10-game losing streak in May, their performance has earned an investment from president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and the front office.

Their 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday at Busch Stadium put the Cubs (60-46) 5½ games up on the last playoff spot and 3½ games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies, whom they hold the season tiebreaker over, for the top National League wild-card position.

“I think they know that this is a special group,” shortstop Dansby Swanson told the Tribune. “I think Jed and them realize what this group’s capable of. The wild thing is, we’ve got the fifth-best record in baseball, and you can argue that we haven’t even played to our full capability offensively.

“So that’s where we all find this hope of just like, man, as guys continue to creep toward what they’re capable of doing, how much even more dangerous this team will be.”

Leveraging their prospect depth on the position-player side could net the Cubs significant upgrades on the pitching side, depending on how much they’re willing to give up.

The numerous infielders are the most obvious movable players in the minor-league system and on the big-league roster.

Matt Shaw won’t be activated from the injured list before Monday’s trade deadline because his left hand sprain is lingering, though that might not scare teams away, especially considering he would be under team control through 2031.

Switch hitter Pedro Ramírez has impressed in his 90 big-league plate appearances (.305/.348/.451 slash line) and is only 22.

James Triantos debuted Saturday in Pittsburgh, collecting a single in his first major-league at-bat. Triantos, 23, has elite bat-to-ball skills but doesn’t project to have as high of a ceiling as other young infielders in the organization.

Designated hitter/catcher Moisés Ballesteros and outfielder Kevin Alcántara haven’t produced as hoped in their major-league opportunities this year.

Among top prospects who haven’t reached the majors, there are potentially intriguing options for non-contenders looking for upside. Shortstop Jefferson Rojas — the Cubs’ No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline — wowed in big-league camp, and the 21-year-old has tapped into more power this season at Double-A Knoxville.

Triple-A Iowa catcher Owen Ayers (No. 3 prospect) continues to rake, though catchers tend to take longer to develop. Outfielders Ethan Conrad (No. 4) and Kane Kepley (No. 5) and first baseman Jonathon Long (No. 10) have attributes that would make them appealing in a trade package. Outfielder and No. 1 prospect Josiah Hartshorn is unlikely to be moved unless it’s for an impactful, controllable player.

The Cubs don’t boast as many top-tier pitching prospects outside of right-handers Jaxon Wiggins (No. 6), who dealt with elbow inflammation for nearly four months, and Kaleb Wing (No. 7), currently on the injured list at Single-A Myrtle Beach.

Manager Craig Counsell wasn’t eager to engage about the trade deadline Monday, specifically on the topic of whether he expects the Cubs to acquire a starting pitcher.

“Pass,” Counsell replied. “I think (Hoyer has) been quoted as saying, ‘I would like to add starting pitching.'”

The Cubs are on track to get closer Daniel Palencia, starter Edward Cabrera and lefty reliever Hoby Milner back from injuries in August. The possible returns of Justin Steele and Ben Brown could provide a big boost, but their unknown timelines create a wrinkle in the options and may force one or both into a bullpen role.

That the Cubs’ pitching injuries haven’t torpedoed their season is a testament to their next-man-up mentality. Left-hander Matthew Boyd deemed their success amid that challenge a credit to the players in the clubhouse and at Iowa.

“Guys have been called on to take on bigger roles and they’ve answered,” Boyd said. “It’s the story of the season. Be where we are. This is one of the top teams in baseball, and we’ve been playing without the roster to a large degree.

“And that’s what good teams do, and that’s what we’ve done. And there’s still a lot of race to be run, and we’re excited for that. But it’s an amazing story, and it speaks to the character and the willingness of guys to step up in this clubhouse and go do what needs to be done.”

The most interesting approach for the Cubs to take at the deadline would be trading for a controllable pitcher. Among their starters on the active roster or IL, only Brown, Steele, Cabrera and right-hander Cade Horton are under team control for 2027, though Horton’s elbow surgery will sideline him into that season, while Boyd has a $15 million mutual option.

That market at last year’s deadline proved too costly — and perhaps it will again this year — but expect the Cubs to see if they can find a non-rental fit among available starting pitchers. Adding at least one proven late-inning reliever and a right-handed bench bat also should be among the deadline priorities.

Even contending teams that will be adding to the roster experience the unease of what’s to come. The Cubs felt that Monday when the organization designated for assignment starting pitcher and veteran leader Jameson Taillon. It’s the reality of life at the trade deadline.

“Our group has some pretty special things about it,” second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “We’re not perfect, and we’re in a place now where we can definitely make some improvements to a team that’s already really strong. The time leading up to the trade deadline does feel different.”