Chicago baseball report: The White Sox have a youth movement while the Cubs eye the trade deadline

The Cubs return to Wrigley Field following a three-city trip where they faced three of the best starting pitchers in the majors.They continue their stretch of 26 games in 27 days with a 10-day homestand that kicks off Thursday with four against the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates.Manager Will Venable returns to face his previous team on Friday when the White Sox begin a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Venable spent 2023-24 on Bruce Bochys staff as the associate manager.Every Thursday during the regular season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened and whats ahead for the Cubs and White Sox.Want more? Sign up for our Cubs Insider and White Sox Insider.Jed Hoyer and the Cubs continue to monitor the trade market.Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell talks with Cubs president Jed Hoyer during spring training at Sloan Park on Sunday, Feb.

16, 2025, in Mesa, Ariz.

(Armando L.

Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Seven weeks before the July 31 trade deadline, the Cubs are still in information-gathering mode.Very few teams are fully committed to selling at this point in the season, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and the front office continue to check in and monitor everything.

Beyond that, itll likely be a few weeks before trade activity starts to pick up.But when the market gets moving, expect Hoyer to be involved to improve a Cubs team that sits 14 games over .500 and currently holds a 4.5-game lead in the National League Central following Wednesdays 7-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

With how things are trending, addressing the rotation and pitching depth will be a priority for the Cubs leading up to the trade deadline.

The loss of Justin Steele for the season and injuries to Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks have tested the Cubs depth.Imanaga is nearing a return from his left hamstring strain.

He will pitch three innings in the Arizona Complex League on Saturday, and if everything goes well, his next step would be a rehab outing at Triple A.

Assad (reaggravation of oblique strain) is still not expected to be back until after the All-Star break next month.

Wicks sustained a hamstring injury and recently threw live batting practice with getting back to Iowa on the horizon.Weve definitely taken a lot of hits there, and these guys have held up well, but its a long season, Hoyer said Wednesday.

Were not even halfway through yet, so we have to continue to address that in all sorts of ways, whether its the trade deadline, small transactions, and hopefully get some of these guys healthy.Barring any other notable injuries, like season-altering ones on the position player side, the Cubs might also target an upgrade for the bench or a complementary piece.I do think, in general, that it used to be that you had some more transactions in the tank in August and September, and now you dont, so you have to think about that aspect of it, Hoyer said.

You have to play two months without those transactions.This group is a really good group.

And its not just on offense, its on defense as well.Sox catcher Edgar Quero feeling pretty good as growth continues in the big leagues.Edgar Quero of the Chicago White Sox celebrates an RBI single during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Rate Field on June 8, 2025.

(Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)Edgar Quero provided an insurance run Saturday against the Kansas City Royals with a sacrifice fly to center in the eighth inning of a 4-1 win at Rate Field.The next day, the catcher extended a ninth-inning rally with an RBI single.Quero came through in a DH role during Tuesdays series opener at Houston, driving in two with a two-out single in the third inning of a 4-2 victory.Quero has been a consistent contributor at the plate since being called up from Triple-A Charlotte on April 17.

He has a .262/.340/.308 with six doubles and 14 RBIs in 41 games entering Wednesday.Before Sundays game against the Royals, Quero told the Tribune he was feeling pretty good.Im working, especially behind the plate, Quero said.

I had a really good day (Saturday) framing.

Helped the guys, that was pretty good for me.I work every day, trying to do adjustments.

Working with (catching coach) Drew (Butera) and doing early work.

Just keep working and doing what I do.Quero is connecting well with the pitching staff.Hes been doing a really good job back there, starter Adrian Houser said on Saturday.Quero is splitting time at catcher with another rookie in Kyle Teel, who was called up from Triple A on Friday.Hes a great guy to work with, Teel said on Friday.

Hes really smart and he knows the pitching staff well.

We talk all the time and its just great to be back with him.Quero has enjoyed mixing with the younger players and the veterans.(Im) having fun every day, he said.Number of the week: 10With Grant Taylors arrival on Tuesday, the Sox have 10 rookies on the active roster the most in the majors according to STATS.

Pitchers Sean Burke, Shane Smith, Mike Vasil, Owen White, Brandon Eisert and Taylor, catchers Quero and Teel, and infielders Tim Elko and Chase Meidroth round out the list.Week ahead: CubsThursday: vs.

Pirates, 7:05 p.m., MarqueeFriday: vs.

Pirates, 1:20 p.m., MarqueeSaturday: vs.

Pirates, 1:20 p.m., MarqueeSunday: vs.

Pirates, 1:20 p.m., MarqueeMonday: offTuesday: vs.

Brewers, 7:05 p.m., MarqueeWednesday: vs.

Brewers, 7:05 p.m.Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ reacts after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)Ian Happ felt he was getting close.The Cubs left fielder hadnt been generating the power numbers as expected through the first 2 1/2 months of the season but believed he was getting closer as they started their three-city, nine-game trip.

There were signs that had Happ feeling encouraged.

Between the swings he was taking against fastballs and his plate discipline of staying in the strike zone was putting him in a good spot.Happ homered three times in the first two games of the Cubs series in Philadelphia and finished the road trip with five extra-base hits, featuring four long balls.Its nice that when youre struggling, the teams still winning, still producing, Happ said.

When youre not getting on base for the guys that drive it a bunch of runs, that sucks.

You want to be getting on base for those guys consistently.

I know thats something thats tough when youre top of the lineup and youre not on base for those guys and (Kyle Tucker) is hitting with nobody on base.The switch-hitting Happ hit his first home run off a lefty this season in Mondays extra-inning loss, tying the game in the eighth inning by taking Phillies reliever Matt Strahm deep.I feel like Ive made a lot of really good right-handed swings this year, Happ said.

On the right side, its been pretty consistent: walking, not striking out, and doing a really good job of hitting the ball hard.

Its just been low, and so to get one in the air and see leaving that situation was great.Week ahead: White SoxThursday: at Astros, 7:10 p.m., CHSNFriday: at Rangers, 7:05 p.m., CHSNSaturday: at Rangers, 3:05 p.m., CHSNSunday: at Rangers, 1:35 p.m., CHSNMonday: offTuesday: vs.

Cardinals, 6:40 p.m., CHSNWednesday: vs.

Cardinals, 6:40 p.m., CHSNChicago White Sox's Mike Tauchman runs the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals on Friday, June 6, 2025.

(AP Photo/Erin Hooley)Mike Tauchman doubled with one out in the third inning Tuesday against the Astros.

Meidroth followed with a walk.

Both later scored on a two-out single by Quero.Tauchman and Meidroth keep finding ways to get on base at the top of the Sox lineup.Leadoff batter Tauchman came into Wednesday with 14-for-47 (.298) with six doubles, a triple, two home runs, eight RBIs and 11 walks in his last 13 games.

No.

2 hitter Meidroth is 12-for-32 (.375) with a double, home run, four RBIs and seven walks in his last nine games.Overall this season, Tauchman entered Wednesday hitting .286 with a .414 on-base percentage in 20 games while Meidroth had a .293 average and .383 on-base percentage in 44 games.Just really consistent, quality at-bats where you have guys who control the zone extremely well, Venable said before Tuesdays game, also including Miguel Vargas in that mix, so its been nice to start your day as an offense with those three guys.What were reading todayDivine revelations: Pope Leo XIVs attendance at 2005 World Series leaves champion White Sox with an immaculate legacyJerry Reinsdorf reaches deal to sell Chicago White Sox to Justin Ishbia but not until 2029 at the earliestHow Chicago White Soxs Luis Robert Jr.

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Hoyer on veteran reliever Ryan Pressly.

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