Chicago Cubs: Evaluating a possible return of Travis Wood

Former Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Travis Wood enjoyed the perils of success during his time on the North Side. Could a return be in the cards?

Travis Wood was an undeniable part of the Chicago Cubs championship season in 2016.

Appearing in 77 regular season games in relief, Wood sported a 2.95 ERA, contributing to the league’s fourth-rated bullpen regarding ERA, and helping set up the teams’ 38 saves.

Then, of course, there were the three appearances he made in left field.

Most noticeably, that memorable game against the Seattle Mariners, pitching in relief, before moving to left field and making a tremendous catch into the vines.

He then proceeded to go back to the mound in the eventual Cubs win. An instant thriller all around.

Wood also relieved Kyle Hendricks in Game 2 of the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants when Hendricks left the game following a comebacker. Coming up big again, both on the mound and at the plate, Wood hit a key home run in that eventual Cubs victory.

As important as Wood was for the Cubs, he was also a starter before that, putting together an All-Star caliber season in 2013 when he won nine games with Chicago, and also secured an even 200.0 innings pitched.

Rocky road

The current Kansas City Royal is not having the same success as he did from his NL days.

In just 24 appearances out of the Royals bullpen, he has allowed the same amount as earned runs as he did for the Cubs last season (20).

Wood’s walked 18 batters, only allowing 24 all of last season, and features a disastrous 1.84 WHIP and 6.51 ERA. In fact, Wood’s BB/9 (5.86) and BB percentage (13.9 percent) are uncharacteristically high for him.

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His 2016 totals were in line with his career averages, at 3.54 and 9.5 percent respectively.

It’s early, and it’s also a new league that always factors into consideration. But with the Cubs searching for arms, and the Kansas City Royals potentially selling — just on the cusp of AL Central lead and wild card — maybe there’s the possibility of a reunion tour for Wood on the North Side?

GM Dayton Moore spoke about the idea of trading players off in May, and it’s not something he’s in a rush to do, yet made it clear trades are something that can come together fast.

Rotation reunion

If Wood were to come back to Chicago, he would be able to fill a variety of roles. While the greatest need is starting pitching, Wood brings experience being able to throw innings out of the bullpen.

Mike Montgomery and Eddie Butler have pitched well out of the rotation, but have not gone especially deep into games. Montgomery continues to throw more innings each outing, and Butler hovers right around the five-inning mark.

In the scenario that he came back to the Cubs to be a rotation piece, Wood would have to stretch back out, but the Cubs know what they would have in him.

He’s done it before.

While it’s been two years since Wood made a start (2015: 2-2, 5.06 ERA), it would not necessarily be a clear-cut addition for the rotation. Rather, the depth he provides is an element that helps Joe Maddon on a nightly basis.

Not expensive

It seemed like the Cubs could have afforded Travis Wood following the 2016 season, but he left, presumably trying to catch on as a starter elsewhere, and the Cubs thought they had a possible replacement in the form of Brett Anderson.

Apparently, the Anderson experiment did not work.

Though Wood has not started for the Royals, he got the commitment he was seeking: $12 million, 2-year contract.

Still, in the event Royals’ GM Dayton Moore sells his veterans, the potential of Wood coming back to Chicago is an exciting, and inexpensive, scenario.

Wood gives the Cubs options, this year and next year as they likely deal with the losses of Jake Arrieta and John Lackey following the 2017 season.

With an array of attractive arms that could potentially be traded by the deadline, including Sonny Gray, Johnny Cueto, and even Royals’ Jason Vargas, sporting the second-best ERA in the AL, Wood almost falls under the radar by comparison.

Wood brings value to a team like the Cubs, bordering on the intangibles that almost can’t be measured. Even though sabermetricians try. His leadership is a shot in the arm for any club.

Evaluating the Royals’ return

Just three seasons ago, it appeared the Royals had the winning formula in place. Not just on the field, winning two consecutive pennants and a World Series, but sustaining a winning culture for the future.

Now the building blocks, turning into expensive stars, could be on their way out of town sooner than later.

The enviable position the Chicago Cubs find themselves in, shouldering a boatload of prospects, could help tempt KC to replace a current piece for the future.

Wood, however, should come relatively cheap. What’s the going rate for a solid, all-around pitcher? Surely nothing close to the likes of prized prospect Eloy Jimenez being floated in talks for Tampa Bay Rays’ Chris Archer.