Speculation regarding Jed Hoyer’s strategical plan for the Chicago Cubs’ pitching lineup has been an incessant topic around town with no clear insights on potential recruits or the timing of their contracts. Hoyer, so far, has only alluded to being on the hunt for augmenting the team’s starting pitchers. Interestingly, seasoned Chicago MLB pundit, Bruce Levine, seems to have a more defined outlook in terms of the ‘when’ and crucially, the ‘how many’. In his recent conversations on 670 The Score, Levine shed some light on his perspective.
Levine, during a discussion about the Cubs’ ongoing efforts to bolster their starting rotation, candidly stated, ‘The Cubs are undeniably in the market, working tirelessly to beef up their pitching lineup. I reckon, in the forthcoming fortnight or so, they would be intensely endeavoring to onboard one or two starting pitchers.’ Levine’s prediction, specifically on the timeline, appears rather startling.
Despite the Cubs being in pole position, they do not appear desperate for an immediate trade, lending credence to the age-old adage: ‘The early bird catches the worm.’ Yet, the real revelation here points towards the volume. If the Cubs set their sights on the right players, they may, within the subsequent tri-weekly period, boast an impressive arsenal of starting pitchers.
But, what fuels Levine’s theory? He explains, ‘Precisely, what’s the point of idling until the trade deadline? You’ll find teams currently lagging behind. Consider the Marlins or the Rockies, or even teams like Arizona that may soon be backpedaling in one of the tougher divisions of baseball.’
Levine continues, ‘These are the teams that would potentially be keen on upskilling their squads before hitting the deadline, especially if you could sweeten the deal with the right exchange. The Cubs do have a commendable roster of minor league players. That’s where they would likely angle their negotiations.’
He concludes, ‘The Cubs won’t twiddle their thumbs till the deadline to strike a deal. Instead, they’re likely to take the initiative and navigate towards those teams currently trailing in the league.’