Why Would the Cubs Ever Pay This Absurd Price for Emerson Hancock?

A new rumor has some believing the Cubs could land Emerson Hancock ... but for an arm and a leg.

Jul 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock (26) walks off the field after pitching against the against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you're an above-average starting pitcher on the trade market, you've likely been connected to the Chicago Cubs over the last couple of weeks.

The franchise has been hit harder than any by injuries this season, specifically to their pitching staff. Nevertheless, they have managed to look like one of the most competitive teams in baseball, holding a 62-47 record. The production – despite the obvious weakness – has made it more than clear that the Cubs have a chance to make a serious run in October. But they will have to fill their pitching void first.

While there have been varying reports about how aggressive the Cubs plan to be, one of the most recent suggested they are willing to go all-in. Tarik Skubal is the No. 1 name on the market, and Chicago is reportedly considering a serious run at the Tigers ace.

At the same time, there is a belief that GM Jed Hoyer will look to target cost-controlled options with next season in mind. The Angels' Reid Detmers has been among the most popular names, but another player with multiple years of control has started to gain some serious steam in recent days.

The Mariners are seemingly willing to listen on Emerson Hancock. The 27-year-old is having a breakout year after starting at least 12 games in each of the previous two seasons. Hancock is now up to 20 starts in 2026 with a 3.26 ERA. Someone with a deep arsenal that relies heavily on his command and movement, there is no question that he fits the kind of archetype the Cubs typically like in their starting rotation.

Likewise, if the Cubs were able to bring him in, they would be able to keep Hancock around until 2030. That's a massive perk that rarely comes with a mid-season acquisition, which is definitely why the Mariners seem to be asking for the moon.

Wait the Mariners Want How Much!?

Jul 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock (26) pitches during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bob Nightengale of USA Today provided some big trade deadline updates to end the week, and this included tying the Cubs to Emerson Hancock.

He reported that people around the league believe that Chicago could be first in line to bring in Hancock, assuming they are willing to give up an arm and a leg:

"Teams are salivating over the idea of acquiring Hancock, who’s easily the most prized young starter on the market. They believe that the Cubs could have the best shot at him if they include outfielder Seiya Suzuki and perhaps infielder Matt Shaw in a deal."

Let's pump the brakes!

Yes, I too believe that the Cubs could get their hands on Hancock by throwing in two of their top major league trade chips. But ... why the heck would they do that? The whole reason why the Cubs are aggressively looking into adding starting pitching is that they have World Series aspirations. You know what doesn't coincide with those aspirations? Giving up easily one of your best hitters who has been particularly hot in recent weeks.

We all recognize that Suzuki is headed toward free agency. This is why some started to throw his name out as a possible trade piece when the Cubs were on a shocking ten-game losing streak earlier this season. However, even then, it never felt like this was something the Cubs would genuinely consider while being in win-now mode.

Even crazier would be the idea of including Matt Shaw in this same transaction. While trading him away at this rate might make slightly more sense, he would presumably be first in line to replace Suzuki on the day-to-day in right field. The Cubs would essentially leave themselves with just Michael Conforto as a solid option.

None of this is to say the Mariners would be ridiculous for setting this high of an asking price. They can do whatever they want, especially with Hancock having years left of control. But it would feel pretty darn ridiculous for the Cubs to meet this price while also insisting that they want to compete at the highest level. Yes, they need to solve their pitching problems, but you don't want to do that at the expense of another key area on your major league roster.

Anyway, I tend to believe Jed Hoyer agrees. Hancock still might be on the Cubs' radar, but it's nearly impossible to picture them having a negotiation that looks anything like this. A far more reasonable path could be building a package around Matt Shaw and a couple of top prospects. After all, recent reports have indicated that the Cubs would part ways with some of their best prospects if it meant landing a cost-controlled guy.

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