Cubs Rumors: These three players could be on the move soon

After the team traded Mike Montgomery late Monday, it’s likely more Cubs rumors will surface as the team looks to shore up its still-young core.

There’s nothing like an off-day coming at the end of a stretch that saw the Chicago Cubs win five of six to open a nine-game homestand. Behind another dominant start from Yu Darvish on Wednesday, the Cubs maintained their season-best 2 1/2-game edge over Milwaukee in the division race.

Of course, that six-game stretch was interrupted by the Cubs trading swingman Mike Montgomery to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for veteran backup catcher Martin Maldonado. Long known as one of the better defensive receivers in the game, Maldonado will, for the time being, back up Victor Caratini as Willson Contreras works back from a foot injury.

With less than two weeks until the trade deadline, though, this will hardly be the last move the team makes as the front office works through its midseason shopping list. It seems likely Chicago will be in the market for at least one left-handed reliever, potentially a middle infielder and an outfielder before it’s all said and done.

We’ve been covering potential targets ad nauseam over the last week or so – but on the other side of each of those potential deals are the guys currently in the Chicago organization who could wind up elsewhere before the calendar turns to August.

Cubs Rumors: Will Almora be here long-term or is he on the move?

Fans are remarkably divided when it comes to Albert Almora‘s long-term role on the Cubs. Is he the center fielder of the future or will he simply serve as a trade chip to address other needs on the roster?

There’s little question where Almora brings the most value – it’s with his glove (2.9 UZR, 4 DRS). The guy routinely makes catches that boggle the mind and save runs. In my memory, he’s the best defensive center fielder I’ve ever seen roaming the outfield at the Friendly Confines.

Flanked on one side by five-time Gold Glove winner Jason Heyward, Almora gives the Cubs one of the best defensive combinations in the game today.

But with the bat, Almora has left plenty to be desired. He doesn’t walk – (career 5.1 percent walk rate) and he doesn’t drive the ball enough to make up the difference. To be fair, he doesn’t strike out much, either – but after hitting north of .285 in each of the last two seasons, he’s cratered to a .245 mark entering Thursday’s off-day.

If the Cubs decide to retain Happ, we could see Almora on the move, allowing Happ to slot back into center field or even Heyward slide over from right. We know there are few guys the front office loves more than Almora – but in a year where production will supposedly take precedence over promise, this is a guy who has to be feeling the heat approaching the deadline.

Cubs Rumors: Will Schwarber be on the move to address other needs?

There’s something to be said about the loyalty the Theo Epstein regime shows to its players. We saw it earlier this week when they sent Montgomery to Kansas City, giving the lefty a chance to start – something he’d been seeking for awhile now.

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The same can be said for guys like Almora and Kyle Schwarber – two former first-rounders who have enjoyed the support of the front office from the beginning. But given his prolific power and barely passable defense in the outfield, the latter makes a lot of sense as a trade chip.

Schwarber belted his 21st homer of the season on Tuesday night, which really stands out when you consider he only has 75 total base hits on the year. His numbers (.231/.324/.480) sit pretty much in line with what he’s done in his career to this point – but as I mentioned, his slugging ability could make him a hot commodity on the open market.

At the end of the day, the Cubs may have to answer a tough question: what do they want more – their slugging corner outfielder or a key lefty in the bullpen?

One thing is abundantly clear – Chicago cannot head into the season’s final months relying on a combination of Randy Rosario and Kyle Ryan in big spots against lefties. That’s not a knock on either guy – but simply an acknowledgement the team needs a high-impact addition if they want to go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers come October.

So buckle up, guys. It’s officially the mid-summer Cubs rumors stretch where you’ll see almost every player mentioned in one way or another. But if I were a betting man, I’d guess that one of these three guys will be wearing a different uniform come August 1.