With the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, the Chicago Cubs appear to be aiming high as they look to add a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. Over the last week, there has been a fair amount of speculation that the Cubs, in theory, would have interest in Washington Nationals' All-Star starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, but The Athletic's recent reporting has a more direct connection.
In setting the stage for the deadline on Thursday, and the Cubs' pursuit of pitching, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney open the piece up by detailing the team's interest in Gore.
"The Cubs are very interested in MacKenzie Gore, a top-of-the-rotation arm under team control through 2027.