Chicago Cubs: Three blockbuster trades that could reshape the team

Chicago Cubs: Will two recent World Series champs make a deal?

Whether there’s any real chance of fire in the Kris Bryant rumors over the last year and a half, there has been plenty of smoke. With Scott Boras as his agent, a couple of injury-riddled seasons, and three years now separating Bryant from his 2016 MVP season, there are valid reasons the club may try to move him. There’s also the whole issue of manipulating his service time during his rookie season in 2015.

If the Cubs feel they can’t get a deal done with their young slugger, the Cubs should move Bryant and get as much as they can for him. Enter the Boston Red Sox, another club that knows a little about trying to extend an expensive star, namely Mookie Betts. The Red Sox won’t want to part with the 2018 AL MVP for nothing, but they also have only one year of Betts to offer the winner in the Mookie Sweepstakes.

The Red Sox know their fanbase won’t want a teardown, so a two for one deal in which they get two years of Bryant for one of Betts could satisfy both their fans as well as their financial situation, as Bryant won’t be quite as expensive as Betts. Bryant could play third base, outfield or DH in the American League, depending on how sold the Red Sox are on Rafael Devers playing the hot corner.

The Cubs would then get an answer to their leadoff and centerfield woes that have haunted them ever since Dexter Fowler left after 2016. While this looks like a deal that works better for the Red Sox as they get two years of Bryant, Betts is probably the best player in the world not named Mike Trout and would signal to the Cubs fanbase that the club is going for it in 2020.