Chicago Cubs: Trading Kyle Schwarber could have a domino effect

Chicago Cubs: Schwarber (and more) for Diaz is mutually beneficial

The Seattle Mariners have become the foremost “sellers” of this offseason so far, having already dealt Mike Zunino and former staff ace James Paxton. The Mariners will also be losing Nelson Cruz to free agency, freeing up a spot at designated hitter.

Meanwhile, the Cubs were dealt another bullpen blow as Jesse Chavez decided to return to the Texas Rangers on a two-year deal worth $8 million. And although he was excellent when healthy, Brandon Morrow hardly feels like a reliable option as a full-time closer.

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So naturally, a trade involving Schwarber and Mariners closer Edwin Diaz seems to make sense. The Mariners get a young, powerful bat to add to their lineup while the Cubs lock down their closer of the future.

Of course, the Mariners would likely ask for multiple prospects in any package for Diaz, and Adbert Alzolay and Nico Hoerner probably make sense. The Cubs might be happy to oblige, given the opportunity to solidify a bullpen unit that Theo Epstein seems to shake up every season.

The numbers make sense financially. Schwarber has three pending years of arbitration while Diaz has one more year of team control before his arbitration period begins. The real question is whether Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto is willing to part with Diaz, and, in turn, whether Epstein is amenable to shipping Schwarber (and his top prospects).

If this hypothetical deal were to play out, it could be the start of a larger domino effect for the rest of Chicago’s offseason.