Toronto Blue Jays v Texas Rangers | Sam Hodde/GettyImages

Selling or buying at the deadline has been a hot topic in Arlington. While the team is at .500, there is not a clear path to knowing what they’ll do. They have key goals to achieve to avoid selling.

In this one shocking scenario, Athlon Sports lists the Chicago Cubs as a top trade partner with the Rangers for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi given the high chance the Cubs end up buying multiple top of the line pitchers to run with into the second half.

The injury situation of both teams align perfectly barring a hot streak that may be brewing in Arlington, but waiving the no-trade clause in Eovaldi’s contract might be the only other hang up.

A Cubs and Rangers trade is possible but instead Tyler Mahle seems like a more reasonable trade chip, regardless the Cubs desperately need pitching help. But do they have what the Rangers would want to justify sending Eovaldi to the Windy City?

What would a potential package for Eovaldi look like?

There have been similar trades involving Texas and what they gave up to get a short-term veteran back in 2023 with Jordan Montgomery with great numbers to make a World Series.

In that trade, it cost the Rangers’ farm system their No. 11 and 14 prospect in Tekoah Roby and Tommy Saggese and major league reliever John King. But the Cubs do not have as strong of a farm system as the Rangers did at that time.

The Cubs farm system is currently ranked towards the back half in all of the league after they traded their first round pick in 2024 and are getting big league contributions from two of their top ranked prospects that they’re unlikely to part with. That leaves the Rangers to pick from the rest of the bunch.

When you look at the Rangers’ minor league system. they specifically lack in the pitching and first base department, two positions which the Cubs have prospects at.

With Cade Horton likely sticking with the Cubs and losing prospect season before the deadline, Jaxon Wiggins is next in line for top pitching prospect with the Cubs and has been outright sensational at High-A and Double-A this year.

Wiggins, Chicago’s No. 8 prospect, is behind some good infield and outfield prospects in Kiley McDaniel’s latest re-ranking. He is an incredible prospect that could headline a deal for somebody like Eovaldi.

Another piece that could be involved is Cole Mathis, a first base prospect drafted in the second round last year. He missed time due to Tommy John Surgery after suffering a injury as a two-way player during his time at the College of Charleston.

The 21-year-old could potentially play third base again and is a prospect the Rangers would welcome with open arms to develop for a position of weakness in their farm system.

Those two players alone should be enough to get the Rangers talking and addressing the reality of Eovaldi waiving his no-trade clause. Add in a reliever from the Cubs and this could turn up the heat on a trade, similary to what the Cardinals did with Chris Stratton in the Montgomery trade.

If the Rangers are not in clear contention by the deadline, this is a real possibility. Not capitalizing on a weak stretch of competition in the coming month can be the deciding factor. If they do indeed falter, the Cubs are the betting favorite to get the star veteran from Chris Young and the Rangers.