At first glance, the Chicago Cubs seem like a bona fide contender. The Cubs have a red-hot 46-31 record and lead the National League Central. Their offense is a juggernaut, in the top five in every capacity, from runs scored (417, 2nd) to home runs (113, 3rd) to OPS (.770, 4th). But a recent weekend series with the Seattle Mariners revealed a serious flaw. The lopsided losses raise a critical question: Is this team really built for a deep October run—or is their fine record hiding a fatal flaw?

That flaw was never more obvious than during the three-game series at Wrigley Field most recently. The Cubs’ bats come to life for a 10-7 victory Saturday after dropping the opener, 9-4, on Friday, with five home runs. But any momentum was wiped away in the Sunday rubber match. The Mariners pounded Chicago’s pitching in a humiliating 14-6 defeat. Despite hitting four homers themselves, the Cubs staff couldn’t keep the game competitive. This series loss wasn’t just a bad weekend; it was a symptom of something much deeper.

This issue was brought into sharp focus by top analyst Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. He held up a statistical mirror to the team, revealing a stark contrast in their performance. “The Cubs are 22-6 against teams under .500 this season,” Levine shared, before dropping the hammer. “They’re 24 and 25 against .500-plus teams.” The truth is undeniable. “Right now, they’re not playing that well against the better teams,” Levine stated plainly. This problem is urgent, as the schedule ahead is brutal, featuring series against the hot St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros.

With this clear weakness exposed, what is the front office’s plan to fix it? According to Levine, they are not waiting around. “The Cubs are looking at adding that pitcher that we’ve been talking about,” he revealed. “I wouldn’t be shocked over the next week or 10 days, much before the trading deadline, maybe as early as this week, that they make a move for another starting pitcher.” This proactive approach shows the front office sees the same problem and is aggressively trying to solve it.

This urgent search for pitching comes as the team’s ace, Shota Imanaga, prepares to return. Imanaga was dominant with a 2.82 ERA before a hamstring strain on May 4. His absence and a season-ending injury to Justin Steele have widened holes in the pitching staff. Veterans Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon have admirably stepped up, but the pressure is showing. Imanaga is set to rejoin the team for their pivotal series against the Cardinals.

But even with Imanaga’s return, the front office seems determined to add another arm. Their proactive search for pitching reinforcements has several intriguing possibilities, primarily focusing on veteran arms on expiring contracts.

Cubs’ trade targets

The name that comes up most frequently is Los Angeles Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson. The 35-year-old is a two-time All-Star who comes with a reasonable expiring contract. Even if he has not performed particularly well in June, he posted a 3.39 ERA through his first 11 starts and offers a proven track record of eating innings and could offer stability in the middle of the rotation. He’s that sort of classic, useful veteran that contending teams often target for a playoff push, though his recent performance is a notable concern for the Cubs to consider.

Another intriguing possibility is Pirates lefty Andrew Heaney. The 34-year-old is having one of his best seasons with a 3.33 ERA and is available on a cheap, one-year deal. Importantly, Heaney is also coming off recent postseason experience, winning a World Series with the Rangers in 2023. The biggest obstacle here would be trading within the division, but the Pirates appear to be clear sellers, and adding the veteran southpaw might be a realistic option for the Cubs.

Once you’re beyond those two, the Cubs might consider going after a controllable ace in a potential blockbuster, such as the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara, but that would cost a significant package of their top prospects. His younger teammate, Edward Cabrera, is another long-term option. A more likely rental target is Zack Littell of the Tampa Bay Rays, a right-handed arm who could add depth at the back end.

These options give the Cubs’ front office flexibility as they look to make a decisive move.

These potential deals might determine the Cubs’ ability to tread water in an NL Central race that seems to be getting tougher day by day. The Cubs remain in first, but the threats are coming fast. The Milwaukee Brewers, at 3.5 games back, are playing excellent baseball. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals are only 4.5 games back and have been one of the hottest teams in the league. To hold them off, the Cubs need to figure out a way to beat good teams, and the only solution to their puzzle is a better pitching staff.