Chicago Cubs: Potential pick-ups off the waiver wire

The Chicago Cubs have proven you can’t get too high or low on a player because of his struggles. The rotation is another place the Cubs have to be careful about panic. Jake Arrieta and John Lackey looked dead in the water but turned things around. But another starter couldn’t hurt, right?

It’s often just a formality when teams send a player through revocable waivers. The team can use that to gauge interest for the offseason. The Chicago Cubs could still have their eye on that list as they look for a possible fifth starter in the final month of the season. We’ve discussed Jeff Samardzija and why he should be a no-no, regardless of his peripheral numbers. But a few other names have made it through, so do they offer the Cubs potential options?

A few things to understand about the players that have made it through. Most have massive contracts, so moving them becomes difficult. Others have no less than limited no trade clauses, so that’s another obstacle. And then some players don’t have big contracts but aren’t performing well, either. So how about a guy in the middle that might work for the Cubs, especially as rosters expand in September?

R.A. Dickey

The path that R.A. Dickey has taken has been similar to other knuckleballers. He’s durable. Effective, but not dominant. Mainly, the Atlanta Braves have gotten what they expected out of him. But could they look to move him? One rival GM believes with the “way he’s pitching they should be able to move him.” He’d bring veteran leadership with, but also a knuckleballer–and putting a catcher through that this late in the season could be a tall task.

Dickey has been an innings-eater for the Braves. He’s averaging six innings per start and is right on point with his career-numbers. Outside of that fantastic 2012 that saw him go 20-6 for the New York Mets–you know what you’re going to get from Dickey.

While one GM can see him being moved, it’s looking more and more likely that the Braves might pick up his $8 million option for next season. The Braves are still rebuilding, and having a leader in Dickey in the rotation might be worth keeping him around. Also, the Cubs system has been picked pretty clean, so the Braves would have to wait a while for whoever they get to progress. While they have time, they may just hold on to him into 2018.

Miguel Gonzalez

I know, I know. You aren’t real happy with Jose Quintana at this point. Personally, I think he’s going to be fine. But what about adding Miguel Gonzalez? There’s only one way this would work for the Cubs. If they continue to build their lead in the Central, it will allow them to give Jon Lester more time to recover.

There’s very little reason to believe the cost would be high, but do we want to see it become Wrigley Field South? At this point, with Dylan Cease and Eloy Jimenez already in Chicago, it might become just that. After a few decent years in Baltimore, things haven’t gone as well for Gonzalez in Chicago. The team hasn’t been very good, but he hasn’t helped that at all.

Gonzalez does have some postseason experience, but it’s not much. And his numbers have been underwhelming so far this year (7-12, 4.30 ERA, 1.433 WHIP). But if the Cubs wanted to add another starter at a low-cost to help eat up some innings, Gonzalez might be a possibility. But with unimpressive peripherals, it’s not a deal we’re likely to see happen.

Derek Holland

There’s a reason that you find so many White Sox starters on this list. The team is in full blown sell mode, so everything must go. Derek Holland is one that the Cubs had on their radar years ago, but nothing ever materialized of it. Injuries have plagued him, but if anything he’s been able to go out and take the ball every fifth day. The results every fifth day have been less than impressive.

The one place that he does excel is against lefties. With a slash of .216/.279/.333 in 2017, he could be a solid LOOGY out of the bullpen. The Cubs already have Brian Duensing who has fared well in that spot, and Mike Montgomery could fall back into that role once Lester returns.

Holland’s “hey day” has passed, and at this point, he’s not going to serve the Cubs well in his current role. Of the starters on this list, he fits the least of any of them for what they’re looking for.

All signs point to no

Stealing from the old Magic 8-ball, these aren’t going to happen. Verlander is the most intriguing as he’s been linked to the Cubs in one way or another over the past month. But the fact is the Cubs can better spend their money elsewhere. Verlander is an outstanding pitcher, but the Cubs don’t need another aging arm in the rotation.

Theo Epstein knew Lester, knew what he was getting in him. He knew the risks of what he’d be toward the end of the deal and was comfortable with that. But he helped bring them a World Series–precisely what Epstein was looking for out of him.

Next: Samardzija clears waivers

The Cubs will do their due diligence over the next couple of days, but I don’t see anything taking form for them. Lester should return soon. Kyle Hendricks has pitched well since returning from the DL. And Arrieta seems to have found that fire that made him a Cy Young winner in 2015. Some people always want more. But that’s just not feasible at this time of the year. The Cubs will have to make it happen with what they have.