Chicago Cubs Rumors: Putting together a trade with the Baltimore Orioles

Plagued by injury, or injury prone?

Last season, trading Russell wouldn’t have even been an option. Of course, the same could have been said for Kyle Schwarber after his first year and a half. But most have hopped off that train and are ready to make a deal. That’s not likely to happen, but that won’t stop the fans. Russell had some issues with plantar fasciitis, and it’s not his first issues with injury. Between Chicago and Oakland, you can say he’s had a history of injury.

From hamstring issues, sprained ankles and back soreness he’s missed some time. This isn’t an indictment on Russell, but it could be a precursor to future injuries. He’s young, but his average hasn’t moved much upon his arrival to the majors. While someone like Javier Baez catches a lot of flack for his swing and miss tendencies, he has found a way to keep his average around .270 or higher.

So while many don’t want to see Russell traded, they’re fine with Schwarber. Schwarber has more power from the left side and hit much better in the second half. If it’s merely because of his defense, I could argue that putting Baez out there at shortstop each day would be an improvement. But I digress.