A recent trade concept from SI.com’s Ryan Shea links the Cubs to the Oakland Athletics for Luis Severino in a $45 million deal, with Chicago acquiring Severino and Oakland receiving Brandon Birdsell and Riley Martin in return.
Severino’s 2026 line through four starts stands at 19.1 innings, 16 walks, a 5.59 ERA and 24 strikeouts. He’s only made one home start this season at Sutter Health Park, giving up four earned runs over six innings, and the home runs surrendered have been his Achilles heel there.
With Horton out, the Cubs need another right-handed starter to complement Cabrera; Chicago previously showed a willingness to part with top prospects in the Cabrera deal, making a move for Severino a plausible option in the current market.
Per Spotrac, Severino is considered a top-10 trade candidate in MLB in terms of financial value. He posted a 4.54 ERA over 29 starts in 2025 with the Athletics, and he had 31 starts in 2024, underscoring his prior track record as a durable innings eater when healthy.
Cubs fans also face the question of whether Severino is the right fit versus pursuing free-agent Lucas Giolito, who has been associated with the team as another potential route to upgrade the rotation.
This surrounding chatter highlights the Cubs’ rotation needs and the NL Central’s competitive landscape, with several paths available as Chicago weighs how best to bolster the staff behind Cabrera in 2026.
