Why Cubs fans might have to give up on Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta trade wishes

The Chicago Cubs are a team with some very clear trade deadline needs. This club desperately needs more help in the starting rotation.

Matthew Boyd and Justin Steele are hurt, Cade Horton is done for the season, and Edward Cabrera and Shota Imanaga have struggled lately. Even with Ben Brown breaking out, the Cubs have some huge rotation issues at the moment.

That's why Cubs fans have been wishing for their team to trade for Tarik Skubal or Freddy Peralta, two of the best pitchers likely available this trade deadline. But, USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale gave Cubs fans some bad news, indicating neither is likely to come to Chicago based on how things are going.

Why Cubs might not trade for Tarik Skubal or Freddy Peralta

"Still, Hoyer made it clear this week that it's absurd for them to think about mortgaging the future for Skubal, Peralta, or someone else unless they dramatically start playing better, losing 18 of their last 24 games," Nightengale writes.

With how the 2026 season has gone lately for the Cubs, it's hardly a surprise that Jed Hoyer isn't willing to part with so much of their future to land one rental.

Skubal or Peralta would be a great pick-up, but it won't be cheap, and they're going to hit free agency after the season is over.

Trading so much for one of those pitchers can only be done with the confidence of a legitimate World Series contender. And right now, the Cubs aren't even a confident Wild Card contender.

As Hoyer said, "The trade deadline is the furthest thing from my mind right now... Sitting here talking about the deadline, given how we played, seems like the wrong thing to talk about. We have to play better, and we have to put ourselves in a position to do that."

MORE: Cubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GM

While yes, Skubal or Peralta would provide a spark for this struggling Cubs rotation, the cost is going to be very steep. And for a Cubs team that's proven to be very shaky lately, trusting this roster is good enough for a deep postseason run is a bit difficult.

Hoyer can't trade a lot of prospects to acquire someone like Skubal or Peralta, just to come up short of the postseason and waste those resources.

Cubs fans might have to shift their attention to a tier or two below Skubal and Peralta's markets this summer, as the Cubs' shaky play lately might take them out of the top of the trade deadline market to avoid mortgaging the future amid an uncertain season.

More MLB news:

• 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals
• Ex-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 success
• Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agency
• Yankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution
• Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius