Cubs entering sell mode could help Pirates at trade deadline in major way

One of the Pittsburgh Pirates' National League Central rivals effectively removed themselves from the playoff race Monday when Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer waved the white flag of surrender and publicly announced that the club would be shifting its focus to prioritize the future over the present.

The Cubs' chances at finding their way into the playoffs this year are slim at best, and Hoyer confirmed that Chicago would not be buying at the July 30 trade deadline (barring an unforeseen run over the next week or so).

“We probably won’t do a lot of moves that only help us for this year,” Hoyer said. “If moves help us in ‘25 and beyond – I think we’re still exceptionally well-positioned – I think that’s where our focus will be. But just helping in ‘24, I think that probably won’t be our focus unless things change dramatically.”

To be fair, Hoyer never actually used the terms "buyer" or "seller," and it actually sounds like less of a full-on fire sale and more of a "let's just take the L this year and shift our focus to next year" situation. Still, with the Cubs taking themselves out of the mix on the short-term rental market, this eliminates a potential competitor for the Pirates on the trade market and opens up more opportunities with other sellers. Other buyers will be flocking to the Cubs to pillage their assets.

Cubs standing down could mean more opportunities for Pirates ahead of July 30 trade deadline

It's possible that the Cubs could make their own short-term rentals available at the trade deadline in the wake of Hoyer's announcement, but they don't have much to offer in that regard. Where their quiet deadline strategy really could impact the Pirates is in their conversations with other sellers. The Cubs' effective removal from the playoff race gives the Pirates more options on the trade market, and Pittsburgh needs to capitalize.

The Pirates desperately need offense and have already been linked to a number of rental options ahead of the July 30 deadline, including veteran Chicago White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham. The third and final National League wild card spot is still very much in play – Pittsburgh is only half-game behind the New York Mets – and the Pirates should be looking to add pieces that can push them over the finish line this year.

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