If Garza isn't traded now, he seems likely to be traded in the winter

The Cubs haven't talked to Matt Garza about a contract extension in months, seeming to signal they are looking even younger.

The timing of Matt Garza's injury was unfortunate -- unfortunate for Garza, for the Cubs and for any team interested in landing a frontline starting pitcher.

Garza's chance to be traded to a contender -- seemingly a certainty before he left his July 22 start with cramping in his treicps -- are diminished, at the very least. There was are some, though, who believe a contending team may still take a chance on Garza at the deadline because his MRI was clean and all the viable available starters may be gone by then.

But if Garza isn't traded at the deadline, he seems all but certain to be traded this winter.

The Dodgers, Blue Jaysm Red Sox and many others teams were reported to have interest.

The reason a trade for Garza from the Cubs appears so likely is this: the Cubs and Garza have not spoken about a contract extension since talks broke off this spring.

Garza is hardly old at 28, but he has only a year to go until he's a free agent and the Cubs are building around a very nice nucleus of position players. Those players are Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler, Brett Jackson and Albert Almora. All are in their early 20s. And aAll but Castro are a long, long way from free agency.