Chicago Cubs Trade Deadline Target Expected to Hit Open Market Once Again

One of the past trade deadline targets of the Chicago Cubs is expected to hit the open market this offseason.

Aug 12, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) walks off the mound during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Ahead of this season's trade deadline, it was expected the Chicago Cubs would sell off pieces and get back future assets like they have done so often when they aren't going to make the playoffs.

It would have made sense.

They came into this year with expectations to compete for an NL Central title and be a playoff team, but after dealing with injury issues throughout the season, their prolonged struggles ultimately took them out of the mix.

Cutting their losses and adding even more young talent could have been the approach the front office went with, but instead they actually decided to add some pieces when they landed All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes and intriguing reliever Nate Pearson.

When the deadline passed, there was an interesting report that revealed the Cubs were actually one of the teams who called about the availability of reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell.

That was shocking on two fronts.

The first was that seemed to suggest Chicago felt they were good enough to make a late run at the Wild Card, something they ultimately were able to do before coming up short.

But the second thing this suggested was the Cubs were willing to part with many of their high-ranking prospects in order to land Snell knowing he could only be a rental if he opted-out of his player option this offseason.

If they were so interested in the star left-hander for just a rental, then why wouldn't they want to add him this winter?

Snell is expected to opt-out of his player option and hit the open market in search of a massive contract, somewhere in the neighborhood of $200-$300 million.

History has suggested Chicago won't pay that much money, but it wouldn't make sense for Jed Hoyer and his front office to try and add him at the deadline when it was clear the star pitcher was going to become a free agent.

Maybe this is a sign they have more than just some interest to gauge his availability around the deadline and could be looking to bring him in as a key part of their roster moving forward.

Either way, the Cubs will have the opportunity to pursue Snell in free agency if he declines his player option like he's expected to do when the offseason begins.