The Chicago Cubs have emerged as one of the most exciting teams in Major League Baseball this year. After an impressive offseason highlighted by the addition of Kyle Tucker, young outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has blossomed into a breakout star, already tallying 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases before July.
Despite losing key rotation arms—Justin Steele for the season and Shota Imanaga since early May—the Cubs have managed to thrive, sitting at 46-31 and leading the National League Central. Their resilience has been one of the key storylines of the season so far.
As the trade deadline approaches, however, the Cubs may need to bolster their roster to keep pace with other contenders. Winning the NL Pennant is a realistic goal, but adding starting pitching could be the final piece of the puzzle. Like most playoff hopefuls, Chicago is expected to be active at the deadline.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70699048/1239622142.0.jpg)
A recent report by Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report identified starting pitching as the Cubs’ biggest need. He suggested Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly as a strong target. While bigger names like Sandy Alcántara or Zac Gallen might get more buzz, Kelly offers reliability and postseason potential.
Merrill Kelly has been Arizona’s most effective starter this season, posting a 3.39 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 93 innings over 16 starts. His consistency and right-handed arm would give the Cubs much-needed depth behind Imanaga, especially with Steele out for the year.
Whether or not Kelly becomes available depends on the Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes, as they’ve climbed back above .500 and are pushing for a Wild Card spot. But if the Cubs want to be true World Series contenders, adding a steady, impactful starter like Kelly could be what sets them apart come October.
