How do the Chicago Cubs fix the leadoff spot in 2020?

5 of 6

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Could Tommy Pham be a trade target?

One of the first options that seems plausible in trade is Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Tommy Pham. Pham, as you’ll recall from his days in St. Louis, is a scrappy player who does a lot of things well. One of those things is getting on base, something he’s done well in his career and is continuing to do this year. With a .375 career and seasonal OBP, Pham would be a guy to put out feelers for in a trade.

In addition to taking his walks, Pham can also steal some bases and hit for a little power, averaging around 20 home runs per year. He is valuable and has two years of team-controlled arbitration left, so the price might sting a tad. He will be 32 next year and getting more expensive in arbitration for the thrifty Rays, both possible bargaining chips in the Cubs’ favor.

More from Chicago Cubs News

Another target to kick the tires on is the guy many fans have been clamoring for the past couple years: Merrifield. While Merrifield would be a solid player to insert into the lineup and on the field defensively, he’s only had one great season out of three.

Granted, his .354 OBP this year is nothing to sneeze at (especially when stacked up against our leadoff output this season), but his defensive metrics have slipped this year and he will be 31 next season.

A late start to his MLB career and a body of work that only started blossoming recently sounds a lot like Pham, but the Royals have Merrifield locked up to a team-friendly deal that could last four more seasons.

In other words, the price in trade for Merrifield would be considerably steeper. With free agent and trade options looking like slim pickings, perhaps there’s a bigger splash to be made if the Cubs really want to transform the team and overtly address the leadoff spot next season.

Home/Chicago Cubs News