Chicago Cubs: What’s next for the Cubbies?

If the Chicago Cubs do not win the race for Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman, what is next?

Speculation is swirling. Twitter is ablaze. Which team is going to land one of the coveted prizes from the New York Yankees? Will it be the Washington Nationals, or the Cleveland Indians, or the San Francisco Giants? Maybe even the Texas Rangers? It is possible that no one will know the answer to this question until August 1st.

With so many teams in the running, the Yankees can ask for the moon and maybe get it. And, they do not have to move either Miller or Chapman. Additionally, the Chicago Cubs have (wisely) stated that Kyle Schwarber is not on the trade block. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are not going to mortgage the farm and sacrifice the future. They proved this by trading prospects’ first baseman Dan Vogelbach and Double-A pitcher Paul Blackburn to the Seattle Mariners for left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery and minor league right-hander Jordan Pries. You can read that here. 

Are the Cubs officially out of the race for one of the Yankees? If you look at quotes from Theo Epstein after the deal on Wednesday, Vogelbach was not part of the offer to the Yankees. He also said, however, that this was a fallback move. It is a move that fills an immediate need.

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So, what is next? Can we expect another move to come soon? Yes, we can. Who?

If you ask Cubs Manager Joe Maddon, the next move is acquiring Dexter Fowler, Jorge Soler, and Joe Nathan from the disabled list. Those returns can prove to be huge for the rest of the season. They may not be as exciting as a trade, but they are substantially more important.

You have to remember that the Cubs were 47-20 when Fowler went down with a hamstring injury and 10-17 since. The timing of his return is perfect with the second half started and extended rest for Fowler. And for the team as a whole.

Prior to the All-Star break, the Cubs played 24 games in 24 days. Their current stretch of games will not require them to even go to the airport with 14 games at home and six road games against the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. Additionally, they only play ten games versus teams above .500 between now and Aug. 26. Home cooking and a favorable schedule set the team up for success before September.

How much of an impact would Fowler’s return be for the Cubs? Massive. Remembering that he missed 20 games before the All-Start break, he finished second on the team in OBS, third in doubles, and fourth in runs. With the exception of two pinch-hitting situations, Fowler hit in the lead-off spot in the batting order. In the 26 games without Fowler, there have been six different leadoff hitters utilized. It is safe to say that his presence sets the table for everyone else.

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It is still uncertain what Joe Nathan will offer the Cubs if he is called to the Majors, and while Soler has shown moments of promise, he may be trade bait. The Cubs need another pitcher for the bullpen, preferably a lefty, and that may or may not be Nathan. With the success of Albert Almora, Jr., and Willson Contreras, there may not be room for Soler in the outfield. It is certainly hard to justify demoting either one of the rookies. Add Chris Coghlan and Trevor Cahill, players will be traded, demoted, or waived.

The Chicago Cubs are about to have a great problem, one that any team would love to have. Too much healthy talent at the Major League level. Tough decision lay ahead for Epstein and Hoyer, but the potential for a fantastic finish to the 2016 season is exciting.