The Chicago Cubs are sitting at 43-37, seven games back in the NL Central, and they just swept the Mets. That’s not panic territory. But it is action territory. The front office already made one move, trading for lefty David Peterson to patch the rotation. That was the obvious fix. Now the Cubs need to get creative if they want to close the gap on Milwaukee without draining the farm system.
Three names keep coming up in league conversations. Each one comes with a different kind of risk and reward. None of them cost Moises Ballesteros or Kevin Alcantara. That matters.
Brent Rooker Still Has the Pop Even When the Lineup Card Looks Messy
Brent Rooker has not had a clean year. He hit the injured list in June with a bone bruise in his left knee. His overall numbers are uneven. But the underlying stuff is still loud. Baseball Savant has him at a 15.5 percent barrel rate and nearly 42 percent hard-hit rate. That is the kind of bat that changes how a bullpen manager plans the sixth and seventh innings.
Rooker is a DH-first guy with some corner outfield flexibility. He strikes out a ton and does not add much defensively. But the Cubs need a right-handed power presence in the middle of the order. And his contract is actually reasonable. He is making $6 million this season with control through 2029 and a club option for 2030. The A’s don’t have to move him, but if they decide to flip an older bat-first player for younger pieces, the Cubs should be ready. The price would probably be a top-15 organizational prospect plus a lower-level lottery ticket. That is not cheap but it is not Ballesteros-level either.
Kyle Finnegan’s ERA Is a Lie You Might Still Want to Tell Yourself
Kyle Finnegan has a 1.95 ERA. That looks like a backend bullpen solution. His WHIP is 1.49 and his FIP is way higher. That is a weird combination. He is living on the edge and getting away with it so far. For the Cubs, the question is whether they can buy low on a guy whose surface numbers outrun his peripherals.
Finnegan has closing experience and he eats innings. The Cubs need another veteran arm to keep from overworking Porter Hodge and the younger relievers. Finnegan is making $8.75 million this year with $8 million guaranteed in 2027 and a mutual option for 2028. If the Tigers fall further out of the race, they might want to move that money. The Cubs could probably get him for a fringe roster player or a mid-tier relief prospect if they take on the salary. The risk is that the walk rate catches up and the ERA climbs. But the upside is a reliable bridge to the late innings.
Pete Fairbanks Is the Rental With the Best Stuff and the Messiest Track Record
Pete Fairbanks has a 6.65 ERA and another nerve-related IL stint on his resume. That is why he is not priced like a closer. But the stuff is still there. He has 32 strikeouts in about 24 innings and his fastball velocity is still firm. The Cubs already added Peterson to lengthen the rotation. Fairbanks would shorten the game from the other end.
He signed a one-year, $13 million deal with Miami after the Rays let him go. The Cubs would only owe the prorated remainder. No 2027 commitment. No reason to include premium prospects if Chicago takes on most of the money. The Marlins have played better lately, so he might not be available right now. But a one-year reliever on a high salary tends to become available quickly when the standings shift. Fairbanks gives the Cubs the best combination of upside, role clarity, and cost control without touching the top of the prospect list.
The Cubs don’t need to blow up the farm system. They need three or four smart additions that make the roster harder to play against in August. Rooker is the big swing. Finnegan is the volume play. Fairbanks is the high-variance gamble that could pay off if the medicals check out. Any one of them makes the team better. Two of them changes how opponents approach the Cubs entirely.
Leave a Comment