With the trade deadline just hours away, the Chicago Cubs have made a move that they hope will improve an area of weakness.
Coming into the trade deadline, the Cubs needed starting pitching in a bad way. This is a unit that lost one of their best in Justin Steele for the rest of the season with an arm injury, and replacing a pitcher of that caliber is not easy.
With the depth of the unit being an issue and a need for a front-end starter, Chicago has reportedly traded for Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals.
Cubs acquiring RHP Michael Soroka from Nationals, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2025
The right-hander was signed by the Nationals in the offseason and was given a chance to once again prove himself as a starter after missing a lot of time with injuries the last several years.
At just 27 years old and being a former All-Star with the Atlanta Braves, the hope was that Washington might catch some lightning in a bottle.
Overall, Soroka has done alright for the Nationals, totaling a 4.87 ERA, but he is showing signs of turning a corner. After getting lit up by the Boston Red Sox to start, he has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four starts.
For the Cubs, this is an addition that will provide them with some needed depth in the rotation, and the right-hander also comes with some upside. If he can continue to trend in the right direction, he could be exactly what the team is looking for to help complement Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga.
While the addition is low-risk, Chicago should remain aggressive in seeking additional help.
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