Cubs Can’t Waste the Kyle Tucker Trade — It’s Time to Add a Bat

What once looked like a pitching first trade deadline for the Chicago Cubs has now quickly evolved into a much broader shopping list. As recently as early June, the Cubs were in dire need of innings, with injuries in the rotation and their bullpen pushing them to their limit.

However, now, just weeks from the deadline, it’s clear the offense has become just as pressing a concern…if not more.

The bats have gone cold!

This was a team that bet big on the 2024 season, shipping top prospect Cam Smith to the Astros for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster move that signaled one thing: we’re trying to win now. 

Moves like that raise the bar. When you give up a potential franchise cornerstone for a bat of Tucker’s caliber, you don’t get to limp into September. You have to keep building, and right now, that means finding a real bat at third base.

Matt Shaw's Struggles 

Matt Shaw, the highly regarded infield prospect, brought energy when he was called back up to the big leagues, and his versatility has been useful. However, the bat that made him a breakout candidate has cooled significantly. Through June, Shaw’s OPS has dipped, his strikeout rate has crept up, and the extra-base power has largely disappeared. He might still be part of the Cubs’ long-term plans, but in a go-for-it season, Chicago can’t afford to bet on hope that Shaw figures it out.

Third base has become a clear area of need, and the market may offer a practical solution: Eugenio Suárez. Currently with Arizona, Suárez is a veteran presence with legitimate pop and postseason experience. His overall numbers this year won’t wow anyone, but he has a track record of hitting 25–30 home runs a year, and his glove is serviceable. 

On a team that has relied too heavily on Kyle Tucker and the top of the lineup to carry the offense, Suárez would bring much-needed thunder to the lineup and provide an immediate upgrade.

The bench has gone polar 

Even more concerning is the state of the bench. The Cubs' second unit just isn’t playoff-caliber. Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, and Justin Turner, for all their utility or clubhouse value they are not difference-makers. They’re fine in May and June, but come October, when pinch-hit ABs and late-inning matchups can swing a series, the lack of impact bats is glaring. 

This team is missing a real fourth infielder, a spark plug off the bench, or even a right-handed bat that can punish lefties in high-leverage spots. Those players don’t need to be stars, but they do need to be contributors.

President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer has to treat this deadline like it’s a continuation of the Tucker trade. That was a “push your chips in” move, and once you push, you keep pushing. This isn’t the year to hold tight or try to patch holes with waiver claims. The pitching staff still needs reinforcements, yes, but failing to address the offensive shortcomings, particularly at third base and on the bench, could undo the very boldness that made this team a contender in the first place.

All-in means all-in. No backing down now.

The Cubs are still in a good spot in the division, but that is slowly slipping away. The rotation has stabilized. The bullpen has started to look great, and with Kyle Tucker anchoring the outfield, the bones of a playoff team are very much intact. However, if Chicago wants to not just make the playoffs but make a run, they need more thunder — and they need it soon.