Reason Why Chicago Cubs Didn't Land Superstar Ace at Deadline Revealed

The Chicago Cubs were one of a half-dozen teams considering making a move for a top pitcher last month.

Jul 9, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Oracle Park. / Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs are under .500 and would appear to be heading toward another year without a postseason appearance. But the franchise did check in on a pitcher who could have given them a real boost down the stretch.

The New York Post reported on Thursday that the San Francisco Giants were getting feelers from teams for Blake Snell, their left-handed two-time Cy Young winner. At least six teams checked in, including the Cubs. But no deal got done.

Snell is still with the Giants and threw a no-hitter after the deadline. Since he finally recovered from the injuries that stymied the first three months of his season, he is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his last seven starts.

Those are the kinds of numbers that get pitchers like Snell big contracts. They’re also the kind of numbers that require teams to fork over assets in a trade.

So why didn’t Snell move, especially as his performance was back to normal leading up to the deadline?

Well, first there was the asking price, which Chicago theoretically could have met.

The Post reported San Francisco was looking for at least one Top 100 prospect. Interestingly, not a single Top 100 prospect moved at the deadline. The New York Yankees, notably, weren’t willing to part with their top prospect, Jasson Dominguez, in any deal.

The Cubs have a large number of Top 100 prospects that are nearly Major League ready.

In fact, their top six prospects are all at Triple-A Iowa and many of them are considered Top 100 players. That includes pitcher Cade Horton, infielders Matt Shaw and James Triantos, outfielders Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara, along with catcher Moises Ballesteros.

Chicago could have dealt one of those players, along with a couple of more prospects, to get Snell. The Cubs’ biggest deal of the deadline was trading for Isaac Paredes. That cost them infielder Christopher Morel, along with pitchers Hunter Bigge and Ty Johnson.

The other reason Chicago was reticent was Snell’s contract. But it wasn’t about the money.

The Giants have already paid most of Snell’s salary for 2024 in the form of a signing bonus. The Cubs would not have taken on that much money if they acquired him.

But, in 2025, Snell is owed $30 million. For a pitcher of his caliber that’s manageable. But it’s a player option. A month ago, Snell might have stayed in San Francisco after his horrible start.

Now, The Post quoted two general managers who said that only a “catastrophic” or “debilitating” injury would keep Snell from exercising the option.

That uncertainty, more likely, kept Chicago and the other teams from pulling the trigger.