As Michael mentioned in the Lukewarm Stove yesterday, Royals lefty Kris Bubic is garnering some trade interest right now, according to Will Sammon at The Athletic. Given the Cubs’ reported interest over the summer, and given how extremely compelling he was looking as a trade target at that time, I wanted to give this rumor a little more attention.
Firstly, I want to note how Sammon frames the situation:
“At a time when club executives are doubting whether some top-of-the-rotation pitchers get moved, Kansas City Royals lefty starter Kris Bubic, an All-Star last season, is garnering trade interest from multiple teams, league sources said.
In need of offense and boasting some pitching depth, the Royals are open to the possibility of dealing Bubic, people familiar with the club’s thinking said.”
Let me just state up front: this is 100% coming from the Royals.
I’m not saying that Sammon is carrying water here, but this is a message the Royals clearly want to get out to the entirety of MLB to be sure they get the best possible offers before pulling the trigger on a trade. It’s a sales pitch (hey, no one else is getting traded, come talk to us about our guy) and an explanation (we need offense and we have pitching depth) all right up front. The article goes on to explain why Bubic is an attractive trade target despite the fact that he missed the final two months with a shoulder injury (he’s totally healthy and will have a normal offseason, the piece notes!).
My point here is that Bubic is very, very, very clearly available. Short of setting him on the corner with a FOR SALE sign dangling from his neck, it doesn’t get much more transparent than this.
Now, then. You could take that as concerning. A team has a great pitcher, who is coming off a shoulder injury, and they’re eager to trade him. That flag is bright red.
Or, if you’re more generous, you could conclude that it’s simply a matter of a team legitimately wanting to trade from an area of depth, on a guy who doesn’t have much team control left, and who will have some questions going into 2026.
You could probably convince me of either lane, but for now, I’ll be generous and say that the fact that Bubic is going to be a free agent after 2026, and will make upwards of $6 million in his final go at arbitration, means that the Royals do have a reasonable explanation for wanting to see if there’s trade value there.
Let’s assume, then, that he’s healthy enough and any risks in 2026 are the same as you’d expect for any pitcher who has had arm injuries. Does Kris Bubic look like a good trade target for the Cubs?
Well, he certainly fits their mold. It’s a one-year commitment, which the Cubs always love. It’s a pitcher who is still only 28. It’s a guy who transformed his game coming off of injuries and a bullpen conversion, and looks like he really figured some things out this past season. It’s a guy who limits hard contact and gets the ball on the ground. He’s not a hard-thrower (92 mph), but he doesn’t walk a lot and records strikeouts at a touch better than league average.
Debate the extent to which YOU like that profile, but it’s inarguably one the Cubs like to target.
(via FanGraphs)Another point in favor of acquiring Kris Bubic? The salary is not going to preclude the Cubs from also making another significant addition to the rotation in free agency (depending on what happens with Shota Imanaga’s Qualifying Offer decision).
Also, because of the injury risk and the single year of control, you can presume the acquisition price on Bubic would be considerably less than that of Joe Ryan, MacKenzie Gore, or Edward Cabrera. You get what you pay for and all that, but if the Cubs were big believers in Kris Bubic repeating as the guy he was in 2025, then you’re more than happy to get him regardless of the price difference (that’s just a bonus).
My guess, in the end, is that the Cubs are among the teams who are interested in a Kris Bubic trade. They’re probably far from alone, and the Royals are clearly trying to get the word out to more bidders. But the fit is pretty obvious, and I think this bears keeping on your radar.
Kris Bubic was pacing to be an AL Cy Young finalist before a shoulder strain ended his season earlyHe posted a 2.55 ERA and 2.89 FIP across 116.1 IP on the heels of a deceptively good fastball and an array of strong secondaries. I am excited for his return in 2026! pic.twitter.com/1HeEhVAiZW
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) November 12, 2025Kris Bubic's 2Ks in the 6th…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/NebqI7bdSO
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 6, 2025Kris Bubic's 2Ks in the 7th. pic.twitter.com/G8NXIRzcG4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 23, 2025Hence then, the article about i could see the cubs loving kris bubic as a trade target was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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