Cubs ’emergency’ trade proposal lands pitcher who leads MLB in two categories

The Chicago Cubs are in quite the tailspin right now, having lost nine of their last 11 games after being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Suddenly, the team that put together a pair of 10-game winning streaks earlier this season is now in third place in the NL Central, and with a starting rotation that has been absolutely ravaged by injuries, there doesn’t appear to be any clear-cut solutions in sight.

The Cubs will have to make at least one move for a starting pitcher between now and the MLB trade deadline, and with Edward Cabrera now dealing with a blister, things have gotten even more urgent for Chicago on that front.

While there should be some impactful arms available before Aug. 3, the Cubs may need to swing a trade for a pitcher now, and Zachary Rotman of FanSided has proposed a deal that would land Chicago a rather unexciting option: Colorado Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

Chicago Cubs linked to trade for Michael Lorenzen

Lorenzen will not be anyone’s favorite answer at the moment. Through 11 appearances and 10 starts this season, he owns a 7.03 ERA and has allowed more hits (76) and earned runs (38) than any other pitcher in baseball.

The 34-year-old lays claim to a gruesome 1.911 WHIP, and he has already surrendered nine home runs.

But Rotman’s proposal has the Cubs sending outfield prospect Brett Bateman to the Rockies in exchange for Lorenzen, arguing that the righty’s alarming numbers have a whole to do with the thin air at Coors Field and that he might perform better in Chicago.

“Obviously, this kind of deal wouldn’t get anyone excited, but we need to be realistic: The Twins’ Joe Ryan isn’t going anywhere in May. While it might not seem ideal to acquire a pitcher with a 7.03 ERA on the year, that one statistic doesn’t tell the whole story. There are reasons to believe Lorenzen can be fine enough for a desperate Cubs team,” Rotman wrote.

To Rotman’s point, Lorenzen owns a lifetime 4.22 ERA and 1.341 WHIP since entering the big leagues in 2015, and while neither number is particularly impressive, it certainly looks a heck of a lot better than Lorenzen’s output in 2026.

Plus, Lorenzen owns a 4.26 ERA and 1.421 WHIP in six road outings (five starts) this season, which are much more in line with his career averages.

So perhaps trading a 24-year-old prospect with a career .702 OPS in the minors for a veteran hurler like Lorenzen wouldn’t be the worst idea.

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