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Chicago Cubs Rumors: Team interested in adding an impact lefty reliever
The peak of Cubs rumors season is upon us – and the trade market looks to favor sellers, at least when it comes to impact arms who could be on the move.
With Craig Kimbrel, the most highly-coveted reliever on the market, already locked up for the next three years, one of the longest-running Cubs rumors can, finally, be put to bed. But that doesn’t mean Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have finished their shopping ahead of next month’s trade deadline.
According to Bruce Levine of 670 WSCR, Chicago is focused on adding a ‘high-leverage lefty reliever’ ahead of the July 31 deadline. This arm would compliment Mike Montgomery and Kyle Ryan, both of whom have struggled at times during the 2019 season.
There’s no shortage of arms out there on teams likely to unload, either. The Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants headline that list – and a few other clubs may join them by the time July rolls around. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy for Epstein to land his preferred arm. This market is shaping up to be in selling teams’ favor with several contenders looking to shore up their bullpen.
Chicago will likely be joined by the likes of Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Philadephia, Atlanta and St. Louis in their pursuit of bullpen help – and that’s just in the National League. All of those clubs rank in the middle of the pack in terms of reliever ERA heading into action Thursday – and all are within four games of a postseason berth.
So what will the Cubs need to do in the next six weeks? Keep their options open – and be ready to pull the trigger on deals that might not be easy to swallow for fans.
Cubs Rumors: Giants have arms, Chicago has outfielders
To say the San Francisco Giants haven’t gotten much out of their outfield this year is a dramatic understatement. The club acquired Kevin Pillar from the Toronto Blue Jays early in the season and, while he’s made some highlight reel-worthy grabs in the outfield, he’s been pretty abysmal with the stick.
Entering play Friday, he carries a .216 average on the year – a mark that’s only slightly improved when you factor only his games in orange and black (.225 average with a .255 OBP). Steven Duggar has, by most measures, been the team’s best offensive outfielder – but owns just a .642 OPS on the year – hardly what you’d call serviceable, especially factoring in a 73 OPS+.
It’s been a hodgepodge of guys taking reps in left field for San Francisco – further evidence of the team’s dire need of reinforcements. But here’s the catch – the Giants aren’t going to compete with the Dodgers this year – or likely in the near future. So they’ll need long-term assets.
This is where things start making a lot of sense. Chicago is sitting on Ian Happ and Mark Zagunis at Triple-A Iowa and could, at least in theory, trade someone like Albert Almora given the team’s outfield depth. Such a move likely means Kris Bryant shifts to left field, while Carlos Gonzalez and either Happ or Zagunis handle things in right field. Jason Heyward would, theoretically, assume the starting center field job.
Trading someone like Almora wouldn’t be easy – he’s a guy Chicago is very high on, and with good reason. But to acquire the likes of Will Smith or Tony Watson, the two guys who seem like likely trade candidates this summer, you’re going to have to give up something of value. This isn’t going to be another Jesse Chavez situation, where the Cubs gave up nothing and got high value in return.
Smith owns a 2.03 earned run average in 27 appearances, to go along with a 0.790 WHIP and .163 opponent batting average. Watson, meanwhile, has made 29 appearances to the tune of a 2.70 ERA with a 22-to-3 strikeout to walk ratio. Either of these guys would be a significant upgrade over the Cubs’ current duo of Ryan and Montgomery.
Cubs Rumors: Hand represents the cream of the crop to many
Personally, I’ve been a Brad Hand guy – well, for some time. Of all the lefties out there Chicago could conceivably go after, this is the one I want coming out of the Wrigley Field bullpen come October with Cody Bellinger at the dish and the game on the line.
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In Cleveland this year, the veteran southpaw has finished a league-leading 30 contests, notching 19 saves entering play Thursday. He’s put up a minuscule 0.91 ERA and 1.63 FIP across 29 2/3 innings of work – and he’s limited left-handed hitters to .332 OPS.
You also have to like that Hand comes with control. He’s locked up through 2020 with a team option for 2021 – giving you an impact southpaw through the rest of the Cubs’ current window.
But he won’t come cheap. Cleveland, like San Francisco, has needs – and could demand the likes of Ian Happ, Albert Almora and more (including top prospects) in exchange for their closer, especially given the layout of the market.
dark. Next. Cubs have ridden the strength of their starting rotation
It would hurt giving up such a package – but the Cubs really have one glaring need as currently made up – a shutdown lefty. Expect Epstein to pull the trigger to address that hole, much as he did with the Craig Kimbrel signing earlier this month and set the team up for another shot at a championship.