Cubs Rumors: Will the team go all-in on Pirates hurler Felipe Vazquez?

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly interested in Felipe Vazquez. We haven’t seen Cubs rumors connecting the team to the lefty, but that could change soon.

We’re just over a month from the July trade deadline – and we’ve been a bit light on Cubs rumors to this point. But one potential bullpen target for Theo Epstein and the Chicago front office is drawing the attention of another likely postseason-bound National League club.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly interested in Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez. The high-flying Dodgers have few weaknesses, boasting one of the best rotations in all of baseball and a powerful offense. But adding a shutdown reliever to join the likes of closer Kenley Jansen in the back end of the bullpen would represent a major step forward.

We’ve talked ad nauseum about the Cubs’ need for an impact left-hander in the bullpen. The team will gain a major piece this week when right-hander Craig Kimbrel joins the big league club – but there are still holes in Joe Maddon‘s pen.

Cubs Rumors: Maddon doing the best with what he has

To this point, he’s gotten by utilizing the likes of Kyle Ryan, Mike Montgomery and Tim Collins – hardly an imposing trio of southpaws. The addition of Kimbrel allows Maddon to shift Pedro Strop back to where he’s at his best – as the setup man. Guys like Steve Cishek and Carl Edwards move back to the middle innings as firemen, immediately lengthening the bullpen in a big way.

But things just keep circling back to the team’s glaring lack of even a high-quality lefty. Chicago could not only become a powerhouse in the National League by adding someone like Vazquez but keep the Dodgers from adding what could be the missing piece in the club’s quest to return to a third-straight World Series.

Vazquez is enjoying yet another stellar campaign with the Pirates, converting 19 of 21 saves and putting up some pretty eye-catching numbers in the process. He boasts a 1.91 earned run average to go along with a 1.09 WHIP and .210 opponent batting average.

The 27-year-old boasts one of the liveliest fastballs in the league, averaging a well above average 98.1 MPH heater with a 2,622 rpm spin rate. He’s known as a guy who pounds the zone – walking fewer than 2.5 batters per nine while averaging a staggering 13.91 punchouts.

Cubs Rumors: Financial flexibility would be huge long-term

As if all that wasn’t enough to sell you on what this guy brings to the table, consider this. A) As I mentioned, he’s just 27 years of age. B) he’s on an incredibly team-friendly deal that looks like this:

2019: $4.5 million – obviously, the Cubs, Dodgers or any other team would be on the hook for less than half of that in the event of a midseason acquisition ahead of the July 31 deadline.
2020: $5.75 million
2021: $7.75 million
2022: $10 million (team option)
2023: $10 million (team option)

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The prospect cost to acquire someone like Vazquez is undoubtedly going to be staggering. We’re talking about a haul that would help Pittsburgh regain some degree of relevancy for the first time in years. But financially, it opens up all kinds of possibilities for the Cubs.

Chicago has a ton of money coming off the books this winter. Cole Hamels, Steve Cishek, Pedro Strop, Brandon Kintzler, Brian Duensing and Xavier Cedeno will all be free agents. The team holds options on Brad Brach, Brandon Morrow and Tony Barnette. All told, if they declined those options and let everyone walk in a changing-of-the-guard, we’re talking about a whopping $60 million-plus to play with.

Vazquez obviously only takes up a minimal share of that, leaving the Cubs more than enough money to reload along the likes of Carl Edwards, Mike Montgomery, Tyler Chatwood, Kyle Ryan and Adbert Alzolay.

Next. Cubs could pull the trigger on these five guys. dark

We haven’t seen anything concrete connecting Chicago to the flamethrowing lefty, but if things line up, this might be one of those moves that makes too much sense to pass up.

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