The Chicago Cubs have been playing extremely well to begin the season, but they do have some needs if they want to be a World Series contender.
With the Cubs leading in the National League Central, the team is focused on winning their division and trying to make some noise in October.
So far this year, Chicago has been led by one of the most prolific offenses in the league. The Cubs have the ability to hit for power, generate walks, and the run the bases extremely well.
Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong are two of the best outfielders in the game and are having outstanding campaigns.
While the lineup has been excellent, the starting rotation and bullpen have had some issues.
Chicago lost starting pitcher Justin Steele for the rest of the year and Shota Imanaga for a while with a hamstring injury.
Even though the expectation is that Imanaga will be back and be the ace, if the Cubs are going to be a true contender, they need help.
Prior to the start of the campaign, it appeared that there was going to be a plethora of options to choose from. While that might end up being the case still, as of now it doesn’t appear to be the case.
However, one option who could be a great pitcher to target is Andrew Heaney of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Due to the Pirates not being in the mix once again this season, they will be sellers come the deadline. Of players that have performed well for them and would be a desirable asset, Heaney leads the way.
The southpaw has pitched very well this year, totaling a 2-3 record and 3.02 ERA in nine starts.
With a FIP of just over 4.00, there might be some regression coming for the veteran left-hander, but he is a fairly proven pitcher in the league and rather consistent.
Furthermore, for a Chicago team that is hoping to be playing meaningful baseball in October, Heaney was a recent World Series champion with the Texas Rangers and has pitched in playoff games.
While Heaney might not be a front-end starter, he would provide some excellent veteran leadership in the rotation, proving depth with some upside.
Considering Tucker is a free agent at the end of the year, the Cubs have to make sure they capitalize on having him this campaign. The loss of Steele was a significant blow to the team, but they do have the assets to replace him.
