2026 MLB trade deadline: Blue Jays and Cubs trade fits
Photo credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
By Ben Wrixon
Jul 29, 2026, 09:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 28, 2026, 23:24 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs match up well with the 2026 MLB trade deadline approaching fast on August 3.
Chicago holds the top Wild Card spot in the National League on the strength of a dynamic offence and excellent defence. Toronto, meanwhile, has floundered squarely into selling territory thanks to its persistently underwhelming play.
Here’s who the Blue Jays could ship to the Cubs:
What do the Cubs need at the deadline?
The Cubs have a frontrunner for the NL MVP award atop their lineup in Pete Crow-Armstrong. He’s solidified himself as one of baseball’s most dynamic power-speed threats this season while playing elite defence in centre field.
Things don’t get easier for opposing pitchers behind him, either, with reliable veterans Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki, and Ian Happ in the middle of the order. 2025 All-Star Michael Busch has also been solid at the plate while holding down first base.
Where the Cubs need serious help is on the pitching side as Shota Imanaga has been their only healthy arm. Matthew Boyd has recently returned, but Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera, and breakout star Ben Brown are all sidelined with serious injuries. Cade Horton also won’t be back anytime soon after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The bullpen situation is equally as dire, with fireballer closer Daniel Palencia having made multiple trips to the IL this season. Former Blue Jays castoffs like Jacob Webb and Trent Thornton currently occupy high-leverage roles—not ideal come playoff time.
Who could the Blue Jays trade to the Cubs?
Kevin Gausman would be a slam-dunk addition for the pitching-starved Cubs. He’s the kind of proven, dependable starter they need down the stretch. This is assuming they’re willing to overlook the shellacking they handed him back on June 19.
Shane Bieber is another option if the Cubs believe his recent turnaround is indicative of what’s to come moving forward. He, like Gausman, is on an expiring contract and likely wouldn’t require forking over an elite prospect to acquire for a few months.
The Blue Jays also have several relievers who could help the Cubs, with Jeff Hoffman being the most obvious name. While they may be wary about making him their closer given his well-documented struggles in the ninth inning over the past two years, he would slide nicely into a setup role behind Palencia when he eventually returns from the IL.
Tyler Rogers is also a fit if Toronto is willing to move him. There might not be a better fit on paper for baseball’s premier pitch-to-contact guy than the spacious confines of Wrigley Field with the Cubs’ defence behind him. The roughly $13.6 million he’s owed in each of the next two seasons could be an issue, though.
The Cubs’ farm system isn’t among the best in baseball, but that shouldn’t limit their ability to entice the Blue Jays given none of these players are likely to command a top-100 prospect. Chicago has enough in the minor leagues to get something done with these teams matching up so well.
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