Cubs Have Clear Top Priority Heading Into MLB Trade Deadline

The Chicago Cubs have had a great season so far, but in the challenging National League, the race for playoff spots is tightening up.

A great run of late by the Milwaukee Brewers has put the NL Central up for grabs with the two talented teams batting it out.

This race seems like it can go down to the wire, and neither team wants to mess around in a potential Wild Card Series.

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For the Cubs, they have been led by one of the best offenses in baseball throughout the year. There aren’t many flaws with the unit, and while some discussion has been about upgrading at third base of late, that feels like more of a want than a need.

Furthermore, the bullpen for Chicago has also been better than expected this campaign. With one of the best bullpen ERAs in baseball, the Cubs should have some confidence in the unit to start the second half.

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However, while things have gone well, Chicago must anticipate other teams, including the Brewers to get better in the NL. The Cubs are in a strong position to make a splash or two with a great farm system, but where they choose to do so will be key.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the top priority for the Cubs at the trade deadline being to upgrade their starting pitching.

“Even if Matt Boyd stays healthy and dominant while Shota Imanaga does the same—neither of which is anywhere close to a given—the rest of the rotation is not exactly October-caliber,” he wrote.

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This comes as no surprise, but for a team that has title aspirations like Chicago, help in this area is a must.

Currently, their starting rotation ranks 12th in the league in ERA, but the unit has some concerns. The injury to Justin Steele amplified the need for them to get a starting pitcher, but the argument could be made that they need to do so beforehand as well.

As of now, the duo of Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd is a strong one, but Boyd is entering uncharted waters in terms of innings pitched, and Imanaga has missed a significant chunk of time.

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If Chicago is going to contend with the best of the best in the NL, it feels like not only do they need to add at least one starter pitcher, but that pitcher needs to be a front-end caliber starter.

While the lineup and bullpen have both been great, addressing the rotation should certainly be the top priority.

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