Ben Brown's 1.74 ERA Is The ONLY Reason The Cubs Aren't Dead In The Water For The World Series

Alright, you wanna talk about teams pushing for a title? The Chicago Cubs, sitting at 38-36, have their eyes on the World Series trophy this year, but let me tell you, if it wasn't for one guy, their dreams would be DOA. We're talking about a team that The Athletic's Eno Sarris says needs a "top-end starter" to even sniff contention, and it's because their pitching situation is just that dire. Sarris straight up ranked them as the World Series contender with the most urgent need for starting pitching in all of Major League Baseball right now. Ouch.

Their Rotation Is a Hospital Ward and a Batting Practice Pitcher's Dream

Seriously, go look at the Cubs' rotation and tell me you don't feel a little queasy. They're dealing with a parade of injured starters that could literally make up their own decent rotation. Cade Horton? Done for the season. Justin Steele? Still hasn't pitched this year and his setback has him way behind. Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon? Both chilling on the injured list. It’s a mess!

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And just when you thought Edward Cabrera was back from the IL, he leaves his most recent game early with a right-hand cramp. Yeah, it might not be a huge deal on its own, but when you've got this many guys sidelined, every little thing hurts. But wait, there's more! It’s not just injuries making life tough. The guys who *are* pitching? Most of them are struggling big time. Shota Imanaga is rocking a 4.26 ERA, Colin Rea is at a rough 5.35 ERA, Javier Assad clocks in at 3.99 ERA, and even Cabrera, after his return, is sitting with a 5.21 ERA. Boyd has a 6.00 ERA and Taillon a 5.19 ERA while on the IL. Horton had a 2.45 ERA in his two starts before getting hurt. So who's the lone bright spot in this pitching wasteland? Ben Brown, with his stellar 1.74 ERA. He's literally the only starter doing work for them, and that's just not enough if you're trying to win it all.

World Series Aspirations? Prepare to Pay Up, Big Time

So, what's a World Series hopeful to do with a rotation like this? The MLB trade deadline is August 3, and the Cubs have just over a month to decide if they're gonna go for it, and how hard. Sarris points out they absolutely need to add an elite starter. We're talking names like Tarik Skubal from the Tigers, Freddy Peralta from the Mets, or Joe Ryan from the Twins as "solid options." If those don't pan out, there are intriguing guys like Sonny Gray, Reid Detmers, Robbie Ray, Sandy Alcantara, Casey Mize, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic, and Jose Soriano. The market is out there.

Here’s the cold, hard truth though: top-tier starting pitching isn't cheap. Not at all. But for the Cubs, with their rotation severely disappointing this season, they might not have a choice if they truly want to contend for a World Series title this year. It's a harsh reality, but sometimes you just gotta open the wallet and make it happen. You want that trophy, right?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.