Grading The Cubs' Four MLB Trade Deadline Acquisitions

Soroka has been better this season with the Nationals, owning a 4.87 ERA across 16 starts with an expected ERA of 3.32, but it's hard to picture him being an early-game starter in a playoffs series.

If the Cubs can work their magic on him and get him back to being a premier arm in the sport like he was earlier in his career, then trading away Triple-A outfielder Christian Franklin and top 30 prospect Ronny Cruz wouldn't be considered a steep price to pay.

However, this gets a grade of "C" because it didn't move the needle a ton.

Andrew Kittredge

Grade: B

There's a chance this turns into the best move Chicago made ahead of the deadline.

Coming off an incredible season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024 where he posted a 2.80 ERA in 74 outings, he signed a free agency deal with the Baltimore Orioles. While his tenure began rocky there -- hitting the injured list because of a knee surgery -- he has bounced back well to the tune of owning a 3.45 ERA in 31 outings.

Kittredge is not a high strikeout guy with under a K per inning these past two years, but his strikeout rate is higher than the league average and he gives the Cubs a reliable back-end arm in their bullpen.

Giving up top 30 prospect Wilfri De La Cruz to get him could be considered hefty since Kittredge is just a rental, but bullpen arms were a premium this deadline and they did well to land one who should be a factor for them the rest of the season.

Willi Castro

Grade: B-

Castro doesn't move the needle, but he also solves some issues Chicago had.

While fans might be disappointed with them not landing a premium third baseman like Eugenio Suarez to take over at the hot corner, the emergence of Matt Shaw also caused the front office to take that into consideration since he's the future at that position for the franchise.

Adding Castro at least gives them help across the infield and outfield, improving a bench unit that was providing next to nothing whenever they were in the lineup.

So far this season, he is slashing .245/.335/.407 with an OPS+ that's three points above the league average of 100. He provides some pop with 10 homers hit this year, and his ability as a switch-hitter makes him a plus in pinch-hitting situations.

The Cubs didn't give up a ton to land him, trading away top 30 prospect Sam Armstrong and former sixth-round pick Ryan Gallagher. But Castro is a rental, and he's not someone who is going to fundamentally change the outlook of this team in 2025.

Taylor Rogers

Grade: C

Rogers is an interesting case.

On the surface, his numbers look great with a 2.45 ERA and ERA of 3.28 across his 549 career appearances. But the underlying metrics also suggest the left-hander has gotten lucky during his career.

In 2024, Rogers had a 2.40 ERA in 64 outings, but his expected ERA was 3.29. This season with the Cincinnati Reds, his ERA is 2.45 while his xERA is 3.96.

There are multiple ways to take that, with the positive outlook being he performs much better in actual situations on the mound than the analytics would suggest, while the negative outlook would be that his luck will run out while he's with Chicago.

Perhaps the grade of "C" is a bit of a cop out, straddling the line between him potentially being a big-time contributor as left-handed reliever if his numbers stay at this level or him being a complete bust if his ERA starts looking closer to his expected one.

Only time will tell how this goes, and since they only gave up 2024 seventh-round pick Ivan Brethowr to get Rogers, it's not a huge risk to take on a reliever.

Overall

Grade: D

While the Cubs added pieces who can help them for the stretch run of the season, they did not move the needle and let down their fanbase once again.

In a year where they aggressively acquired Kyle Tucker knowing he could hit free agency after the season and join a new team, Chicago decided to be passive in their pursuit of a championship despite the incredible first half of the campaign they had.

Because of that, it's hard not to give them a harsh grade.

The Latest Chicago Cubs News

Cubs Activate Numerous New Additions, Option Star Prospect

Cubs Make Low Risk Move With Will Castro As Twins Bet On Young Pitching Depth

Cubs Shockingly DFA Notable Reliever After MLB Trade Deadline Moves

Cubs RHP Andrew Kittredge Reveals Former Orioles Teammate He Wants To Get Out Most