rewrite this title Multiple Royals players could be on the Cubs’ radar

Morosi doesn’t note any specifics, just that Seth Lugo is more likely to be dealt than Kris Bubic. The Cubs have a glaring need for another reliable starter and both Lugo and Bubic would do very well for the Cubs. 

A year after being voted Cy Young runner-up, Lugo is pitching to a 2.94 ERA through 107 innings. Bubic, who doesn’t quite have a gleaming track record, has done even better than Lugo, tossing a 2.38 ERA over 113.2 innings. 

Lugo is more likely to be traded, with a player option for next year that he will likely opt-out of. Bubic, on the other hand, is under control through next year and the Royals will likely want to keep him to make a postseason run in 2026. 

However, there is something that Morosi did not comment on.

In addition to their search for pitching, the Cubs are also in the market for a third baseman. Hitting .216 with four home runs this year, Matt Shaw doesn’t appear to be up to the task of handling the hot corner for a team with immediate World Series ambitions. With a solid trade chip like Maikel Garcia, the Royals could easily be a one-stop shop for the Cubs.

Garcia is slashing .293/.347/.466 with eight home runs this season entering Tuesday. If traded to the Cubs, he could make a huge impact. Garcia is under club control through 2029, which means he will be more costly, especially since the Royals need offense. 

The obvious answer at third is the Arizona Diamondbacks’ soon-to-be free-agent third baseman Eugenio Suarez, but if they fail to land him, Garcia could make a nice consolation prize.