The Chicago Cubs have struggled a little bit as of late. They recently fell out of first place in the National League Central and are now a game behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
However, they still lead the NL Wild Card race and seem to be pointed towards the postseason. They'll likely be buyers at this year's trade deadline.
The deadline is now a week away, and the Cubs need pitching. Their rotation has been hit hard by injuries.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently outlined each contending team's deadline blueprint. He proposed the idea of Chicago targeting Shane Bieber, who the Cleveland Guardians are reportedly open to trading.
"If the Pirates care enough about things like rivalries and standings to rebuff the Cubs' advances, the Cleveland Guardians are evidently open to dealing RHP Shane Bieber, who is nearing a return from Tommy John surgery. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that news on Wednesday," Miller wrote.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
The Cubs have been targeting Mitch Keller lately. A trade with Pittsburgh might be a longshot given the rarity of trades within the same division.
However, Bieber might make sense for the Cubs. He missed most of 2024 and is still out recovering from Tommy John surgery.
But if he can return to form, he could be a perfect trade addition for the Cubs. He's a former Cy Young winner and has postseason experience as well.
The 30-year-old right-hander owns a career ERA of 3.22. He's also a two-time All-Star, pitching triple crown winner and Gold Glover.
It will be interesting to see if the Cubs show interest in the former Cy Young.
More MLB: MLB insider proposes one-for-one Cubs swap for Eugenio Suárez