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

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.