Through 18 games, Chicago sits at the bottom of the NL Central, with an offense averaging 5.22 runs per game (7th in MLB) and a pitching staff allowing 4.17 runs per game—more about depth than dominance, at least so far.
The club has already lost Boyd, considered the ace, to an injuries timeline that places him back soon, while Horton will miss the rest of 2026 after elbow surgery, leaving the rotation short-handed.
Shota Imanaga and Edward Cabrera have carried a combined 2.11 ERA in seven appearances, but the rest of the rotation remains unsettled, with manager Craig Counsell juggling eight different starters in the season’s first 18 games.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter has positioned Ray as a plausible summer target for Chicago, noting the Giants could become sellers with the worst record in the NL. Ray is in the final year of his five-year, $115 million deal, and has posted a 2.42 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in four starts this season in San Francisco.
Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins indicated the team will avoid major trades early and instead focus on internal options, a short-term approach that may still adapt if market conditions improve and injuries linger.
If the Cubs do pursue Ray, they would face a significant prospect cost, potentially including Jonathon Long, the club’s sixth-ranked prospect. Long has thrived at AAA Iowa, though Chicago would need to balance present needs with the development of Busch at first base.
