Report: Cubs' Jackson was drawing trade interest prior to Friday's poor outing

The Chicago Cubs reportedly almost had a get out of jail free card from the burden that is the remainder of Edwin Jackson's contract.

After signing Jackson to a four-year, $52-million deal prior to last season, the Cubs haven't exactly got their money's worth, as the right-hander has gone 11-22 with a 4.97 ERA in 233 2/3 innings since joining the North Siders.  

Jackson appeared to have figured things out over his previous three starts - allowing four runs in 20 innings while striking out 23 - before Friday's debacle, in which he got shelled by the offensively challenged San Diego Padres, allowing eight runs off nine hits in four innings. 

That struggle, which Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports, made prospective team's think twice about reaching out to the Cubs in hopes of acquiring the 30-year-old.  

Until Jackson got pummeled for four innings by the worst-hitting team in the majors in one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks, in an 11-1 loss, sources say Jackson was starting to draw interest from teams preparing their lists of available pitchers to target ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Believe it or not.