The Chicago Cubs have no problems scoring runs, leading Major League Baseball with 145 as of Tuesday morning. However, they lost their ace, Justin Steele, who is out for the season and maybe a decent chunk of 2026 after undergoing UCL surgery on his left elbow this past Friday.

To advance deep in the postseason, the Cubs could consider making a crucial trade to revamp the starting rotation. As things stand, Chicago has Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea, and the youngster Ben Brown. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report lists the Cubs as an ideal landing spot for Los Angeles Angels left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson.

Anderson was an All-Star in 2022 and 2024 and is off to a hot start this season. He owns a 203 ERA+ and has allowed just 11 combined hits in his first four starts (21.2 innings) of 2025. Surprisingly, lefties have done the most damage at the plate against the south paw, hitting three home runs with a 1.309 OPS in 20 at-bats. Anderson, 35, will be a free agent at season’s end, and there’s no anticipation that Mike Trout and the Angels will be in contention come October.

How badly do the Cubs need another rotation arm? Miller believes they will be very active in trade discussions. “Now, they’re borderline desperate for one [starting pitcher], and may well swing big for one if at any point they lose their grip on first place in the NL Central,” Miller wrote.

“For what it’s worth, Anderson does have excellent career numbers at Wrigley Field, making five starts there with a 2.45 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 10.6 K/9.” Adding Anderson to the Cubs’ rotation could take any added pressure off of Imanaga to be perfect every start, and the organization may feel better about their chances down the stretch.