The Chicago Cubs should spend this offseason fixing the pitching problems that made an explosive offense carry too much responsibility.

The Cubs won 89 games, led the majors in runs, and reached October behind Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout season and Alex Bregman’s arrival. Then the San Diego Padres swept the Cubs out of the National League Wild Card Series.

Michael King held Chicago to one hit across seven scoreless innings in the Padres’ 8-0 opener. San Diego then followed it up with a 4-1 victory, leaving the Cubs with one run across two games.

That offensive collapse demands accountability. But rebuilding the lineup around two losses would miss the larger problem. The Padres exposed the importance of pitching that can control a series, while the Cubs spent months navigating injuries and inconsistency.

Jed Hoyer should pursue these three trades, with separate packages that preserve the organization’s most important young arms.

Trade for Joe Ryan to strengthen the rotation

The Cubs should offer outfielder Kevin Alcantara, infielder Pedro Ramirez, and pitching prospect Dominick Reid to the Minnesota Twins for Joe Ryan.

The right-hander finished 2026 with a 3.79 ERA, 159 strikeouts, and 31 walks across 144 2/3 innings. That combination of strikeouts and command would give Craig Counsell another starter capable of limiting traffic.

The Padres demonstrated how quickly a strong starter can dictate a short series. Ryan would improve the Cubs’ options without requiring a costly superstar acquisition.

Minnesota would receive two young position players with major league experience and a developmental arm. The Twins can weigh that longer-term return against Ryan’s final season under club control. Their competitive plans will decide whether they move him.

Ryan is under control through 2027 even if his mutual option is declined. The option is a $13 million mutual option with a $100,000 buyout on the one-year deal he signed to avoid arbitration. If either side declines it, Minnesota still holds his arbitration rights for 2027. He can become a free agent after that season, in 2028. The Cubs should explore an extension, but the trade should be valued on the 2027 season it would actually acquire.

His late-season struggles matter. Ryan posted a 6.82 ERA over his final seven starts. Chicago should pursue him as a rotation upgrade, with a satisfactory medical review and a firm ceiling on the return.

Trade for Reid Detmers to add lasting impact

The Cubs should offer Matt Shaw and pitching prospect Brooks Caple to the Los Angeles Angels for Reid Detmers, with room to discuss another secondary prospect.

Detmers delivered a 3.36 ERA, 211 strikeouts, and a 1.04 WHIP across 185 innings in 2026. He remains under control through 2028, giving Chicago a potential postseason starter for more than one campaign.

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Matching San Diego’s pitching depth requires more than another short-term patch. Detmers would bring the Cubs both innings and the ability to miss bats.

The Angels would have reason to demand a substantial package. Shaw offers a young position player with defensive versatility, while Caple would replenish their pitching pipeline. That framework gives Los Angeles something to evaluate beyond a collection of marginal prospects. The Angels could seek more, but Shaw and Caple would give them a credible starting point.

Trading Shaw would hurt, especially with uncertainty surrounding Chicago’s corner outfield. But Bregman, Dansby Swanson, and Nico Hoerner occupy the regular infield positions. Turning Shaw’s value into a productive starter is defensible if the Cubs also address the resulting position-player needs.

Chicago should keep Cade Horton and Jaxon Wiggins out of this proposal. Adding pitching should strengthen the organization’s depth rather than simply exchange its best young arms for established ones.

Trade for Robert Garcia at a measured price

The Cubs should propose a straight swap of James Triantos for Robert Garcia from the Texas Rangers, contingent on a satisfactory evaluation of the left-hander’s shoulder.

The Padres’ bullpen made the Cubs’ limited opportunities disappear. Chicago needs more options to protect close games before and alongside Daniel Palencia.

Garcia posted a 2.41 ERA in 2026, but threw only 18 2/3 innings after missing months with rotator cuff inflammation. His 11 strikeouts and nine walks also caution against treating that ERA as proof of dominance.

The Rangers would surrender a left-handed option under control through 2029 at a prospect cost Chicago could reasonably consider. Texas would receive a young hitter, while the Cubs would address a specific bullpen need. The Rangers could prefer to keep Garcia, but Triantos would offer value beyond short-term salary relief.

These proposals would still require negotiation and complementary moves to sustain the offense. But they establish the right priority. To advance past teams like the Padres, Chicago needs pitching that gives its hitters a chance to recover when October starts badly.