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Cubs named landing spot for Freddy Peralta.

The Chicago Cubs look to bolster their rotation ahead of the trade deadline and a playoff push.

Chicago has been one of the hottest teams in the MLB and is a legit World Series contender. One area of need for the Cubs is the rotation, which could use a true ace to build around.

With that, MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided revealed that the Cubs will be one of the teams interested in Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets.

“If Peralta were to become available, almost every contending team would come calling. AJ Preller, the San Diego Padres’ ultra-aggressive executive, would surely place a phone call. The Chicago Cubs, whose manager Craig Counsell was with Peralta in Milwaukee, could use another pitcher. The Atlanta Braves have dealt with numerous injuries in the rotation, but now get Spencer Strider back. The list goes on and on,” Murray wrote.

“All of this is a moot point if the Mets bounce back and get over .500 before the trade deadline. Odds are that Peralta stays put in Queens through the deadline. But expect rival teams to ask the Mets about the right-hander until they are told “he’s not getting traded” by Stearns and the front office.”

The Cubs trading for Peralta would make Chicago a legit World Series contender and would only strengthen their rotation. Yet, the Mets are still hopeful to be competitive this season and compete for a playoff spot. So it’s unclear if they will trade Peralta.

Peralta will be a free agent after earning $8 million this season.

Peralta Named ‘Prime Trade Chip’

The Mets made a bold move to acquire Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason, and the team could already move off him.

With New York off to a poor start, Murray called Peralta a prime trade chip ahead of the trade deadline.

“Peralta is a prime trade chip,” Murray wrote. “He’s an elite clubhouse presence and someone who is highly regarded by his teammates. He is a high-end pitcher who has a career 3.60 ERA in nine major-league seasons. He’s also on an expiring contract and if the Mets want to get something in return in a potential lost season, then trading the right-hander should be on the table.

“Trading Peralta would also not prevent the Mets from potentially re-signing him in the winter. There is history of players being traded away at the deadline and then re-signing as a free agent, with a prime recent example being when the Yankees traded Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs and then went back to the Bronx in the offseason.”

Peralta is 1-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 7 starts this season.

Cubs Soaring in Power Rankings

Chicago is 22-12 and atop the NL Central and is in fourth place in MLB.com’s latest power rankings.

The Cubs have been playing great baseball, and Chicago is fourth in the power rankings but is third in the NL behind the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

“It’s never a bad day to see a game at Wrigley Field, but it’s particularly a blast for the Cubs right now. They’ve won 11 straight games at Wrigley Field, the most consecutive games they’ve won at the Friendly Confines since 2008,” the power rankings read.

The Cubs will begin a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.