The Chicago Cubs are in urgent need of help for their starting rotation after losing several important pitchers to long-term injuries this season and receiving inconsistent performances from others.
Although adding a pitcher like Tarik Skubal would be a tremendous boost, Chicago is not considered the most likely team to acquire the Detroit Tigers ace. Instead, the Cubs may be better positioned to pursue a less expensive short-term rental starter.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicts that the Chicago Cubs will add a New York Mets right-handed pitcher at this year’s trade deadline, though not Freddy Peralta. Instead, he believes the Cubs will acquire Clay Holmes, who has posted an impressive 2.39 ERA this season.
Cubs predicted to trade for Clay Holmes in deal with Mets
“Schoenfield predicts that the Mets will trade Clay Holmes to the Chicago Cubs. He noted that Holmes had a 2.39 ERA before getting injured and posted a 3.53 ERA in 2025, adding that if the right-hander performs well after returning, it would not be unreasonable to consider him a potential Game 1 starter for the Cubs in the postseason.”
The Cubs need to upgrade their starting rotation, and Schoenfield is predicting they’ll do so in a trade for the veteran Mets starting pitcher.
Holmes has been out for much of the 2026 season due to a broken leg. But, recently, he had a few rehab outings, and they’ve gone well enough that plenty of clubs should be in his trade market.
The 6-foot-5 right-hander is in the final year of a two-year, $26 million contract. He does have a 2027 player option, but that’s likely to be declined unless there’s some long-term concern.
More likely than not, the Cubs, if this prediction from Schoenfield were to come true, would have Holmes for just August, September, and the October playoffs this year.
Still, even as a rental with some risk due to his return from injury being a question mark, the Cubs landing Holmes would make a lot of sense as a high-upside rotation option who could legitimately be the team’s No. 1 starter by October.
This prediction is a fairly realistic one, and for the Cubs and Jed Hoyer, Holmes would be a good combination of an affordable starter who has very high upside. There’s some risk, but if Holmes hits, he could be a major asset come October.
