The Cubs have broadened their pitching search before the deadline, and Emerson Hancock is now part of it. Chicago has discussed Hancock along with other possible additions as it tries to bring in multiple arms, while Seattle is open to offers on a pitcher it controls through 2030.
That search matters because the Cubs want three pitchers by the deadline if they can get them. Hancock fits the kind of arm that can draw interest: he has thrown 110 1/3 innings for the Mariners with a 3.26 ERA, a 23.3% strikeout rate and a 6.2% walk rate. His 3.80 SIERA suggests a slightly different read on the same season, but the overall profile still gives Chicago another name to weigh against more expensive targets.
The Cubs have also been linked in recent days to Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta and Reid Detmers, and their search has included Robbie Ray, Clay Holmes and Hancock. The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen said the Cubs are one of the clubs believed to have interest in Casey Mize, too. That range tells the story of a team looking at both impact and depth, not just one splashy move.
Seattle's side is where the real friction sits. Hancock is not eligible for arbitration until after the 2027 season, which makes him unusually cheap and under club control for years, and that is exactly why he is drawing attention. The Mariners are also trying to add bats, and their hitters would need to be ready to help right away because the club is in win-now mode.
That leaves Seattle balancing two urges at once. It can listen on Hancock even after a recent slide left the Mariners at 53-58 following eight losses in their last 10 games, but that slump may also make them less eager to move a controllable starter unless the return is strong. If the Cubs want Hancock, they would likely need to send a big league-ready bat, the kind of player like Matt Shaw who could step into the lineup quickly, because Seattle is not shopping him as a pure salary dump.
There is another layer to the math. Robbie Ray and Casey Mize are both free agents this winter, while Clay Holmes is expected to hit the market if he opts out. Hancock is different: he is tied to Seattle through 2030, so any Mariners trade involving him would have to bring back more than short-term help. For Chicago, that is the test now — whether it can turn a crowded pitching board into a package Seattle will actually accept before the deadline closes.
