Cubs leaning this direction at trade deadline, according to report

What will the Chicago Cubs do at the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline? Frankly, it's a question that could impact the entire league by the season's end.

In early May, it seemed obvious the Cubs would be buyers. Then they went on a horrific losing skid and by July 1, they looked like obvious sellers. But right before the All-Star break, they got hot again, and now it seems no one is sure which way the Cubs are leaning.

At 47-51, the Cubs are still an overall disappointment. But they're within 3.5 games of the final National League wild card spot, so it's hard to count them out of the race. Therefore, reasonable minds could disagree on which direction they might swing come July 30.

At the start of Craig Counsell's first season as the highest-paid manager in baseball, it would have been hard to fathom that they might sell. However, one report on Wednesday has them doing just that.

According to Chad Jennings of The Athletic, who grouped all 30 MLB teams into tiers based on likely trade deadline strategies, the Cubs are "trending toward the sell side" at this year's deadline.

"Maybe they have another after-the-break hot streak in them this year, but so far they’re trending in the wrong direction," Jennings said. "That isn’t going to be helped by Cody Bellinger’s broken finger, which might also rob the Cubs of one of their best trade chips."

Jennings also acknowledges that the Cubs might have precious little to sell, based on the number of position players they have under long-term control. Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki, and Dansby Swanson are all signed through at least 2026.

One player the Cubs could look into trading is reliever Tyson Miller, who has a 1.66 ERA in Chicago this season after arriving via trade. Miller had just 16 MLB appearances in the four years before 2023, so the Cubs could cash in on a pitcher having a breakout season.

If they choose to buy, on the other hand, the Cubs will be entering one of the most competitive trade markets in recent memory. With expanded playoffs and so many teams hovering around .500, there will be few true sellers, all of whom can expect inflated value for their trade chips.

So is it the "smart move" for the Cubs to sell at this year's deadline? Perhaps, but it would also be a tough pill for the team and fan base to swallow.

More MLB: Why Cubs' power shortage points to adding catcher at trade deadline