(670 The Score) Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins on Thursday didn’t push back against trade speculation surrounding ace Justin Steele when given the opportunity to do so.
In an appearance on the Mully & Haugh Show, Hawkins was asked whether he was more amused or annoyed by the Steele trade rumors that have popped up lately as the deadline looms next Tuesday.
“Neither,” Hawkins responded. “I think it’s the same thing that we’re talking about, which is transactions are happening. Any opportunity you have to increase your side of the ledger, you should at least listen to. That could be any player on your 26-man or 40-man or 180-man minor league roster. It’s just the time of year. I would be surprised if not every single player that’s providing any sort of major league value is not asked about over the course of the next week. It’s just the nature of it.”
Steele, 29, has a 3.07 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 91 innings across 15 starts this season. He also had an All-Star season in 2023, when he was fifth in the National League Cy Young race. Steele is making $4 million this season and is under contract control through 2027, meaning the cost to acquire him in a trade would be exorbitant.
Hawkins had a similar line of response when asked about the possibility of trading right-hander Jameson Taillon. Throughout the industry, it’s viewed as far more likely that Taillon gets traded than Steele.
“To dismiss any concept out of hand would be shortsighted,” Hawkins said. “If you think you’re good at transactions, you should make transactions. If you think you’re bad, you should do nothing. We’re certainly not thinking we’re bad here (at making transactions), so we’re certainly not going to do nothing in terms of listening to all opportunities.”