Chicago Cubs Rumors: The Giants could have what the team needs

As the deadline draws closer, the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants might be a good fit for trade partners as we look into Cubs rumors as the one and only deadline approaches.

The waiver deadline has gone the way of the rotary dial phone, and now the Chicago Cubs have just one chance to add to their team for the stretch run. Several of the names we’ve seen have been members of the San Francisco Giants bullpen. Is it possible they could link up for a trade or two? It is possible, but I can guarantee that Madison Bumgarner is not in the conversation for the Cubs. However, Tony Watson and Will Smith could and should be.

We’ve delved into both of these bullpen arms over time, and we seem to keep coming back to them. More recently, our Marty Fenn took a look ay Watson–for the fifth consecutive season, it seems. Watson isn’t the force he was in Pittsburgh, but he’s done a respectable job and has 70+ appearances since 2014 when he led the league with 78. This season he’s carrying a 3.19 ERA in 36 2/3 innings with a SO/W rate of 7.25. He has a player option for 2020 for $2.5 million.

Smith could be a little bit trickier to attain, as Farhan Zaidi has said that they’ll be looking at ‘more guys at the upper levels.’ (Subscription required) The first-time baseball operations manager of the Giants isn’t going to sell himself short, especially in the case of Smith, who will be a rental to one of the many teams who will be calling Zaidi looking for pen help.

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Smith was an All-Star this season, posting a 2.17 ERA and saving 23-of-24 in save chances. Both Watson and Smith are lefties–something they Cubs could use.

And while Smith is the closer for the Giants, he wouldn’t unseat Craig Kimbrel for the Cubs. And we might eventually get back Brandon Morrow who was supposed to be our closer for the last two years. But that hasn’t worked out.

Cubs Rumors: Don’t forget Melancon

And then there is always Mark Melancon, who has had a rough go of it in San Francisco. Injuries have slowed him down, and he’s posted a 3.92 ERA in 108 innings. A far cry from when he carried a sub-2.00 ERA in three of four seasons with the Pirates. But he comes with a high price tag as he signed through next year for $14 million.

After Theo Epstein came out and said that “if this stretch of bad play continues, then certainly … a ton of change is in order.” (h/t McNeil and Parkins Show, 670 The Score) The Cubs came out of the break and swept the Pirates, so that kind of talk might get pushed to the back of the burner. But Epstein and Jed Hoyer have taken notice–and nobody is safe.

So will the Cubs look to trade upper-level talent, or maybe even MLB talent for Smith and/or Watson? In the coming years, the Cubs will have to decide to keep the ‘core’ that they have or bring up some younger guys to fill those spots. Robel Garcia burst onto the scene this year, but he was the only talent ready in the system, and he’s not a ‘kid’ anymore (He’s 26.)

Nico Hoerner was looking to break out but suffered a fractured wrist and is just now getting back to playing regularly. But if he can continue his push, the Cubs could part with Addison Russell or Ian Happ. There isn’t much upper-level talent for the Cubs unless it comes off of their 40-man roster. The last few years that wouldn’t happen. But I think that time has come to make a move of this nature. It won’t be ‘blockbuster,’ but it’ll get the attention of Cubs’ fans.