Chicago Cubs: Five potential trade deadline targets

Because of the lack of depth production, it seems fair to say that the Chicago Cubs could use another bat on the roster that.

Frustration continues to grow as position player depth around the primary core continues to struggle for the Chicago Cubs. This month has not been pretty for Daniel Desaclso (.118/.318/.118), Addison Russell (.167/.229/.238), Carlos Gonzalez (.184/.319/.316) or Albert Almora (.196/.229/.217). It is pretty hard to find consistency when things are not going well for this many bats. It may be time for Theo Epstein to explore some other options.

We are roughly a month away from the trade deadline, and we have a better idea of who is selling and who is buying. Plenty of the selling teams have bats that would fit very well in the Cubs lineup and will probably be explored. This is going to be tough for Epstein as the organization lacks a substantial number of trade assets. It is also hard to imagine the organization wanting to part with Adbert Alzolay at this time. There is also the question of financial constraints.

Some of the ideal trade candidates may cost too steep a price, but they are still worth taking a look at. Here are some bats that would help out the Cubs.

Chicago Cubs: A permanent second baseman could solidify the lineup in more ways than one

The Washington Nationals heading into the 25th of June sit eight games out of first place and three games below .500. They are still in reach of a Wild Card spot, but the next month can make or break their chances. Right now the Nationals seem to be likely sellers than buyers, but that could change.

Howie Kendrick has gotten a lot of attention this year. The 35-year old veteran is slashing .335/.388/.588 with 12 homers in 63 games. He is third on the team in OBP and tied for second in homers. Kendrick is another versatile player who would fit in very well on the Cubs to fill their second base hole. With Russell and Descalso struggling and Ben Zobrist being out, adding him would help out in a lot of ways. That bat would be a real boost on its own.

Kendrick is on the last year of his deal and is making $4 million this year. Probably the biggest question is will the Cubs be able to make it work financially. In reality, they possibly could, but they also are preaching about the budget they set in place for this year. If Epstein can get him at a reasonable price asset wise, then ownership should let him pull the trigger.

Chicago Cubs: The Detroit Tigers could hold another missing piece to a Cubs run

Detroit does not have much to offer in terms of veteran bats with value, but Nicholas Castellanos may be worth exploring. Now he may not seem overly exciting looking at the regular numbers, and yes we know his defense is awful as evident by the career -33 DRS and -24.7 UZR but the hitting splits are worth a gander.

Castellanos on the year is hitting .269/.328/.452 with seven homers and a 105 wRC+. Not setting the world on fire, but not bad by any means. However, his .295/.385/.523 slash against lefties could make him a heck of a platoon bat in the Cubs lineup. With the defense on a contending team, he may not be a guy to play every day, but the splits would solidify a platoon role for him. At this point, his bat regardless of facing a lefty or righty is better than a chunk of the bats on the roster now.

Castellanos probably is not going to cost an arm and a leg in terms of assets; he will cost something but not like a Merrifield. He is likely very easy to attain, but again, the salary. He is on the last year of his deal and is making $9.95 million this year. This leads to the overall thought that the Cubs may have to get creative in their deals to either clear space or spice up the deal, so the other side eats money.

Chicago Cubs: A name that is often forgotten about these days could provide a spark

Remember Neil Walker Cubs fans? The longtime Pirate who has hit multiple grand slams at Wrigley Field? Well, the veteran second baseman is having a very nice season down in Miami, which has not surprisingly gone unnoticed considering the team he plays for. So far this season he is slashing .295/.375/.443 with four homers and a wRC+ of 122.

Walker is a career .269/.340/.430, 112 wRC+ hitter in 1,224 games in the majors. Long story short, he is an excellent hitter, and a guy who can get on base at a good clip as he has done in his career would be very welcomed. He is bouncing back very nicely from a poor 2018 with the Yankees and showing he still has something in the tank at 33 years old.

Walker is on a cheap one year, $2 million deal. This could be a very easy get for the Cubs as he will likely not cost much in terms of assets and is not making a lot of money. Joe Maddon could plug him right in at second base and/or play him in certain matchups. This could be a very nice route to go in terms of production that is cheap.

Chicago Cubs: He may not be flashy, but the Melkman can still hit

It seems like every year one thinks he is washed up, veteran outfielder Melky Cabrera puts up another solid season at the plate. Cabrera (34) signed a one-year, $1.15 deal with the Pirates this season and so far has produced very well. He is hitting .313/.349/.438 with four homers in 67 games.

Cabrera is a career .286/.336/.418 hitter who strikes out very little and is good at putting the ball in play and hitting line drives. He can play left and right field, so he is not stuck in one position. He is a sneaky productive bat that can fit very nicely on a team making a run. Also worth noting he is a switch hitter so he can be used in a number of matchups/situations. While baseball today is about slugging and getting on base, the Cubs would likely love to have a guy who can spray line drives all over the field.

Here is another guy who is not going to cost you a whole lot and is not making much money. You are not going to hear the Pirates demand an Alzolay or Nico Hoerner for a guy like Cabrera, even in-division. He is very attainable for the Cubs.

There are plenty of other names the Cubs would probably want to look into. These were just five and giving a range of likely and unlikely candidates with the assets they have to trade. One thing is for sure; they need an upgrade.