Rumors: New report should fuel SF Giants pursuit of Cubs ace Marcus Stroman

The Chicago Cubs reportedly don't plan to extend with Marcus Stroman, fueling rumors that he could be traded to a contender like the SF Giants.

The SF Giants have an acute need at the trade deadline this year - a top-of-the-rotation starter to pitch alongside Logan Webb and Alex Cobb. The Chicago Cubs just so happen to have such an ace in Marcus Stroman, one of the league's best pitchers in 2023. With the Cubs falling out of playoff contention, and Stroman likely to opt out of his contract at the end of the year, his name has been swirling in trade rumors. Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported over the weekend that Chicago is "not inclined to sign" an extension with Stroman during the season, something Stroman has publicly expressed interest in. So, with Stroman seemingly not a long-term piece with the Cubs, could he soon have a home in San Francisco?

hCubs starting pitcher Marcus Stroman delivers a pitch against the SF Giants. (2023) / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Will the Cubs be willing to trade Marcus Stroman at all?

No team wants to part with its best starter, and Stroman is in rarefied air even amongst aces. His 2.76 ERA is eighth in baseball amongst qualified starters, and his inning total this year ties Sandy Alcantara for sixth. Only one pitcher has thrown as many innings as Stroman with a lower ERA - Texas' Nathan Eovaldi, who's not going anywhere this year. The market for top-tier starting pitchers this year is notably thin, and if the Cubs decide to trade away a top-10 starter in the league, they'll be able to extract a huge prospect package despite Stroman's status as a rental.

That's still a tough sell for Cubs fans, though, who saw their team just 3.0 games back of the division lead as recently as June 26. Giving up Stroman would be essentially waving the white flag on the season, which probably isn't what a team that signed Dansby Swanson, Jameson Taillon, Trey Mancini, and Cody Bellinger was hoping for this year. But the Cubs have prioritized selling when they have not been playoff favorites in recent years.

As of July 3, the Cubs are fourth in the NL Central, 7.0 games back of the Brewers. The Wild Card offers even less respite, where the Cubs sit 7.5 games back of the Giants. Chicago has pieces in place, but even then, they're closer to the worst team in the National League than they are to the third Wild Card. With all that in mind, it seems likely that Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will try to take advantage of a trade market clamoring for starters, and aim to reap the rewards of a bidding war for the biggest prize at the deadline.

Where do the SF Giants come in?

The fit between the Giants and Cubs just so happens to be an excellent one. San Francisco, sitting just on the edge of making the playoffs as is, is in a perfect spot to trade for a prominent free-agent starter. Their rotation, led by a down-season Logan Webb, has approximately eight pitchers, yet only two spots that can currently be considered settled.

Acquiring Stroman would immediately solidify the top half of their rotation and make managing a short playoff series that much easier. Even if that would further stuff their roster with starters, the Giants can take advantage of the demand for starters themselves and clear room with deals for players like Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, and Alex Wood. No other team in the NL could even think about trading three starters at the deadline and improving their rotation as a result.

But in order to deal for Stroman, San Francisco would have to pay a king's ransom. They're no strangers to working with the Cubs for big names, as the Kris Bryant trade that sent away Alexander Canario and Caleb Kilian worked well enough for both sides. The concern back then was that San Francisco's meager farm system wouldn't be enough to produce desirable players to pull off a deal. This year, that's no longer a concern.

The Giants' wave of talent has provided them with excellent flexibility when it comes to dealing from their youth. The Giants have graduated a flood of minor leaguers this year who have made immediate impacts; Patrick Bailey, Casey Schmitt, Blake Sabol, Ryan Walker, Tristan Beck, and Keaton Winn have made immediate impacts in the bullpen, and I haven't even mentioned young risers like Luis Matos and Brett Wisely. Would the Giants consider floating one of the less prominent rookies in a trade for Stroman?

The rest of the farm system also has plenty of hot names that the Giants could deal without compromising the strength of their youth movement. While it would be surprising to see the Giants include a top prospect like Kyle Harrison in a trade for a rental like Stroman, the farm system remains flush with other high-upside talent. Plus, there's always a chance that some of the Giants' fringe big-league prospects like David Villar, Sean Hjelle, Joey Bart, Heliot Ramos, and Cole Waites intrigue the Cubs in a package as well.

In any case, the cost of acquiring an All-Star starter should be a painful one, and the Giants will have to beat out a host of other teams to make it happen. But it's also difficult to remember the last time the Giants had this many resources to spare for an opportunity this clear. If the SF Giants' brass is intent on making it happen, there could be a new All-Star starting pitcher in San Francisco.