Chicago Cubs veteran pitcher Ryan Dempster is available for the right price on the trade market, but not only do the Cubs need to get a building block for the future, the destination needs to satisfy Dempster (who holds full no-trade rights as a 10-and-5 player). Theo Epstein admitted that the Cubs are looking to add pitching prospects to the system, so it's natural to explore some of the teams that can fit that request.
The St. Louis "have jumped into the picture in recent days" according to a major league source close to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago, and could be willing to part with B-level prospects like Zack Cox and any starting pitcher not named Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez or Tyrell Jenkins.
As it turns out, National League teams may turn out to be the most viable trade partners for the Cubs. An anonymous MLB GM recently told Buster Olney of ESPN that it doesn't make sense for Dempster to head to the American League because "[h]e's never pitched in the American League. It doesn't make any sense for him to go there before he reaches the market."
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