Were Cubs Fated To Fail At MLB Trade Deadline For Starting Pitching?

Severino was placed on the 15-day injured list over the weekend with a left oblique strain. It’s a similar injury to the one Javier Assad suffered before the season. The Cubs star needed four months to recover, though Assad’s strain was considered a grade two, which is closer to a tear than a strain. The extent of Severino’s injury is not clear.

He was 6-11 with a 4.82 ERA in 24 starts, with 103 strikeouts and 44 walks in 136.1 innings. He allowed batters to hit .261 and had a 1.34 WHIP.

Even though the Athletics were heading to Sacramento and won’t be in their new home in Las Vegas until at least 2028, he signed a three-year deal worth $67 million.

Severino has not been a happy camper in Sacramento, where the Athletics are playing until their new stadium is ready. He’s openly complained about Sutter Family Park, the temporary home of the Athletics and the home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, which is in San Francisco’s minor league system.

One must ask if the Cubs wanted any part of Severino, based on his discontent in Sacramento. He might not have been the right clubhouse fit. Additionally, the Cubs probably would have had to pick up the remainder of his contract, which would be more than $40 million over the next two seasons.

It would have been a gamble, perhaps too steep for the Cubs and one they were destined to lose, based on Severino’s recent injury. As it stands now, the Cubs must hope that the reinforcements they have returning from the injured list will be enough.

Cubs Getting Pitching Depth Back

Javier Assad returned to the Cubs rotation on Tuesday as he was activated from the 60-day injured list and was sent to the mound to replace Ben Brown, who was the scheduled start. It was Assad’s season debut. He’s spent the season on the injured list. Now that he’s back he can bring some relief to the rotation.

Jameson Taillon is scheduled to pitch in a rehab game on Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa, per manager Craig Counsell. Assuming that goes as planned and he has no setbacks, Taillon will be available to the Cubs rotation for his next start, which would be at Wrigley Field next week against the Milwaukee Brewers.

That’s the good news. The Cubs have reinforcements coming back. But their lack of desire to spent prospect capital at the deadline on a more highly regarded starting pitcher may come back to haunt them in the postseason.