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Column: In one of Chicago’s busiest MLB trade deadlines, the Cubs and White Sox made things happen
I’ve often imagined North Shore pals Chris Getz and Jed Hoyer meeting at the Starbucks in Winnetka to talk trade and maybe delve into some executive-level gossip over a cinnamon dolce latte.
Both of Chicago’s top baseball executives were very active at the trade deadline, and made similar moves to bolster their rosters, adding veteran pitchers with postseason cred who are having off years, multiple relievers who can pitch in any situation, and even a spare outfielder who hits from the right side.
Neither made a blockbuster deal like the Los Angeles Dodgers did to acquire Tarik Skubal , but both probably did enough to convince their fan bases they do want to win in 2026 while also protecting most of their top prospects. Most importantly, they both filled their rotation holes, with the Cubs gaining two starters in Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman , and the Sox getting Luis Castillo . And they did it without subtracting from their tight-knit clubhouses.
“I really feel like we were able to maintain this belief and magic that’s going on right now,” Getz said Monday on a videoconference call.
See you in the World Series?
The Cubs might have to get past the Dodgers first.
“Clearly they are going to be the favorites, they’ve won two times in a row and they have the most talent in baseball, I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Hoyer said Monday from the Cubs dugout at Wrigley Field. “It’s a great challenge for anybody … I totally respect the fact they really pushed in to do it three times in a row. What an amazing thing to try and accomplish. It’s our job, and everyone else’s job, to make that not happen.”
Hoyer had conversations with old buddy Scott Harris, the Detroit Tigers president, about acquiring Skubal, but nothing serious. But Hoyer needed two starters for the postseason to go along with Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera and David Peterson, and can live with his decision.
“Obviously what happened earlier in the year in terms of the injuries and how it puts you in a bind, this is an area we needed to address,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of the new starters. “And I think Jed has done that.”
Whether Castillo and Gausman can return to form and help their respective clubs get deep into October will be a primary storyline here the rest of the year. But this is the kind of trade deadline Cubs and Sox fans dream about, and they can thank Getz and Hoyer for addressing all their needs.
The ongoing sagas of Getz and Hoyer, two executives who got their jobs the old-school Chicago way — with no bothersome hiring searches conducted by their bosses — are ones that continue to fascinate me. No two competing baseball executives live so close to each other, or are able to meet up and share war stories about their owners, players or the local media.
Hoyer lauded Getz’s deadline moves, which checked all his boxes, including the addition of Mets reliever Huascar Brazobán to the already strong bullpen. They had trade conversations, Hoyer said, but nothing came close.
Getz enjoys getting brotherly advice from Hoyer, who executed his own semi-rebuild in 2021 and worked under Theo Epstein on the 2012 Cubs rebuild that ignited the trend across baseball.
“If I can offer encouragement at times or a shoulder at times, it’s great,” Hoyer said of Getz back in ’24. “We’ve both been through it, and the concept of rebuilding is one thing. The reality of driving home alone at night, having lost a game and sometimes in a cruel way, is real. I try to humanize that a little bit.”
Getz’s rebuild turned a corner only two seasons after a record-setting 121-loss year in 2024, making the Sox one of the game’s most remarkable comeback stories. Now manager Will Venable and the players have to finish the job.
Hoyer’s gut rehab of the Cubs finally led them to the postseason last year and has them competing for a shot at knocking off the Dodgers. In a town that seldom sees both MLB teams contending at the same time, the Sox and Cubs have made this one of the more memorable summers in years. Cubs fans and Sox fans may not get along, but Getz and Hoyer have a solid bromance going.
“Candidly, I’m really happy for him,” Hoyer said Monday. “He took over a very challenging situation. His first year was obviously really hard. He’s made some really hard, unpopular decisions, and it’s fun for me to see a lot of those hard, unpopular decisions have paid off for him. He’s built a really good roster, and going aggressively to win is exactly what he should be doing.”
The Cubs welcomed the Dodgers to Wrigley Field on Monday for the start of a three-game series that could be a playoff preview. Skubal, the biggest player on the trade market, will face the Cubs on Tuesday in a nationally televised game.
Speaking in the Barrel Room on Monday afternoon before it opened to the one-percenters who can afford season tickets to the exclusive Cubs’ club, Skubal apologized in advance for staring at his fellow pitchers in the star-filled clubhouse.
“People will probably think I’m a little weird staring at guys,” Skubal said. “But it’s just because I’m trying to learn and get better … I’m excited about all that stuff. It’s extremely motivating for me.”
Skubal doesn’t have to apologize for wanting to win, especially after being part of a Tigers’ rebuild that stalled out in his walk season. But the fact that this super team from LA added another not-so-secret weapon in its bid for a three-peat was not universally applauded by baseball fans. Some resent the Dodgers for hoarding superstars like they’re an endangered species.
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