The Chicago Cubs haven't been to the playoffs in a full season since 2018 and that was just one game, as they lost the Wild Card back when it was a one-and-done. They're coming off back-to-back 83-win seasons.

The Twins also receive the Cubs' top pitching prospect, Jaxon Wiggins, who has quickly ascended through the minors. After being drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. Now, in 2025, he’s pitching to a 2.25 ERA across 36 innings with 48 strikeouts in Double-A.

Here is what the Cubs are "desperate" for at the July 31 trade deadline, though there is a catch to the notion.