The Chicago Cubs are in the market for a pitcher. The ace of their staff, Justin Steele, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an elbow injury. The news means that their rotation got a whole lot thinner way too quickly into the 2025 season, but the Cubs still want to contend for the World Series. At 14-9, they are in first place in the National League Central.
The team could trade for Minnesota Twins ace Pablo Lopez in an effort to stay afloat for the rest of the season. The Twins have gotten off to a poor start (7-14) and ownership is in doubt, so the team could look to save some money.
So, what deal could the Cubs strike with the Twins for Lopez?
Potential Cubs trade proposal for Pablo Lopez
Cubs receive: Pablo Lopez
Twins receive: Kevin Alcantara (Cubs No. 6 prospect, MLB No. 86), James Triantos (Cubs No. 5, MLB No. 69), Jack Neely (Cubs No. 16)
Lopez is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he'd be a great fit atop the Cubs rotation. Without Steele, the team is left with Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Ben Brown on its staff. The Cubs desperately need another pitcher if they are to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Therefore, the Cubs should be willing to make whatever moves are necessary to improve, and they shouldn't wait until the MLB trade deadline to do so. That is especially the case because the NL Central is arguably the weakest division in baseball, so this is a prime season to rack up a lot of wins.
Lopez is a former All-Star who has had a sub-four ERA in four of the last five seasons. He is on the 15-day Injured List right now, but he was pitching well before suffering a hamstring strain. Lopez is well on his way to returning, and already made a rehab start.
Related Chicago Cubs NewsArticle continues below
The Cubs have the luxury of having one of the deepest farm systems in baseball, so they can afford to make a trade for a player like Lopez. In fact, the Cubs have seven top 100 prospects, according to MLB.com. In this deal, they don't even have to part ways with Matt Shaw, Cade Horton, or Owen Caissie, who are their top three minor leaguers. All three are currently in triple-A and are close to making an impact in the majors.
Who is on the trading block in Minnesota?
The Twins haven't necessarily indicated that they will blow things up and be trade sellers, but that is becoming more and more likely. For one, the Twins have gotten off to an underwhelming start.
Additionally, the ownership group is seeking out potential buyers to take on the club. Jim Pohlad seemingly has a hefty asking price for his team, but considering he is looking to sell, he'd likely be interested in saving some money in the meantime.
Lopez has the third-largest contract on the team, only trailing Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa. All three players are getting closer to 30 years old, and the Twins don't seem to have much of a path to contention. Therefore, it wouldn't be a surprise if Minnesota pursued trades involving any of those three players.
Royce Lewis is likely safe from a trade for now. The third baseman is only 25 years old but is already one of the best players in the MLB. A Lopez trade makes the most sense for the Twins. Not only is the pitcher coming off of an injury and tied to a big contract, but last season was his worst from a statistical standpoint in years.
It is early in the season, but MLB teams stay active on the trade market. Look out for a potential Lopez deal that would send him to Chicago.
