Cubs Make Pitching Move, Add Veteran Top-40 Pick Shortly Before Trade Deadline

Jul 30, 2026 09:57 PM - 4 hours ago 58
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CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 27: Jed Hoyer of the Chicago Cubs addresses the media aft signing Pete Crow-Armstrong to a statement hold astatine Wrigley Field connected March 27, 2026 successful Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)

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The Chicago Cubs entered the last days earlier the MLB waste and acquisition deadline positioned arsenic buyers, pinch their sights group connected reinforcing a pitching unit that could find really acold they beforehand successful October.

While overmuch of the attraction has centered connected imaginable blockbuster waste and acquisition additions, the beforehand agency besides continues making smaller roster moves to support the nine prepared for the agelong run. And those transactions tin supply immoderate penetration into really a contender is managing its extent arsenic it assesses the options for outer changes.

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That was the lawsuit Wednesday, erstwhile the Cubs reshuffled their bullpen by adding a seasoned erstwhile first information draught prime while demoting different arm.

The Cubs announced that they had designated Andrew Wantz for assignment, removing him from the awesome convention roster soon earlier the waste and acquisition deadline, while replacing him pinch long-time St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jake Woodford.

“Wantz was conscionable selected to the roster 2 days ago,” Darragh McDonald noted for MLB Trade Rumors aft the announcement. “He entered (Tuesday) night’s crippled and tossed the last 2 innings of 10-2 triumph complete the Cardinals, throwing 27 pitches successful the process. Perhaps he wasn’t going to beryllium disposable for a time aliases 2 aft that. Rather than play an limb short successful the bullpen, the Cubs person swapped successful a caller one.”

The move appears to beryllium much astir maintaining a afloat disposable bullpen than immoderate semipermanent information of Wantz, who had only precocious been added to the progressive roster. With the Cubs still playing meaningful games each day, carrying a reliever unavailable aft a multi-inning outing offered small flexibility.

Woodford, meanwhile, arrives pinch extended awesome convention acquisition aft primitively being selected 39th wide by the St. Louis Cardinals successful the 2015 MLB Draft. He has antecedently handled 2 innings for the Cubs this season, logging a sadistic 13.50 ERA.

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While Woodford fills an contiguous need, his spot connected the roster could beryllium impermanent arsenic good if Chicago lands further pitching earlier the Aug. 3 deadline.

“(Woodford) will springiness the Cubs an limb tin of absorbing immoderate innings for the clip being,” McDonald added. “He is retired of options and the Cubs are wide expected to beryllium very progressive successful pursuing pitching upgrades up of the August 3 deadline, truthful he whitethorn not person his roster spot for very long.”

That outlook aligns pinch expectations surrounding Chicago's deadline strategy. The Cubs person consistently been linked to starting pitching upgrades, and acquiring different established limb would apt create different roster crunch complete the coming days.

For now, however, Woodford gives the nine valuable innings while the beforehand agency continues moving the waste and acquisition market. As the deadline approaches, Chicago's latest pitching move underscores that each roster spot remains fluid arsenic the statement balances contiguous needs pinch the anticipation that much important additions could still beryllium connected the way.

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