Cubs might repeat boring trade deadline plan amid Brewers question

Chicago Cubs fans have been on a roller coaster this season, with the team losing 10 games in a row, winning 10 in a row, and recently, seeing their team put up some truly stunning run-scoring affairs against the San Diego Padres.

But, after all of that, the Cubs are 5.0 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central with three months to go. That's within striking distance for the Cubs, but in the next month ahead of the MLB trade deadline, that distance could grow.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand shared an analysis of the Cubs' trade deadline plans, revealing how Jef Hoyer and company might repeat the boring approach they had a year ago due to some uncertainty about catching up to the Brewers.

Cubs might repeat boring 2025 MLB trade deadline in 2026 for Brewers, first-round bye reasons

"Last summer, the Cubs made four trades to bolster their depth rather than making any headline-grabbing moves," Feinsand writes. "Unless Hoyer believes his club can challenge the Brewers for the NL Central title (and, perhaps more importantly, that first-round bye), we could see a repeat of that approach in 2026."

Last season, the Cubs made a few trades. Hoyer added Andrew Kittredge, Michael Soroka, Willi Castro, and Taylor Rogers at the deadline.

None of those moves were the eye-catching ones some other teams around baseball made, and this year, it might be more of the same for the Cubs at the deadline.

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With massive needs in the starting rotation and the bullpen, the Cubs could conceivably be in the market for Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, and other top-tier names who could be dealt.

But if Hoyer asks himself if this Cubs team can catch the Brewers and earn a first-round bye, and comes away not believing in his team's ability to do so, then it's going to be a lackluster deadline once again.

It's a shame, as this Cubs team has the upside to make a postseason run, and could stand to benefit from some big moves to make such a push this season.

Instead, things aren't looking too good right now for the Cubs to make some big moves this summer. If the Cubs have a good July, and the Brewers falter a bit, and maybe the Cubs rise back into a first-round bye spot, it could be a very fun deadline for the Cubs.

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