Cubs Rumors: New York Yankees maintain interest in Kyle Schwarber

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Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber has long been considered a fit for a team like the Yankees, but figuring out the logistics of a deal remains a difficulty.

Since 2016, people have speculated the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees could get together on a deal centered around Kyle Schwarber. More than a few folks project the slugger as a prototypical American League talent – one who will someday wind up serving as a designated hitter.

Could the Cubs have sent Schwarber to the Yankees for Aroldis Chapman in lieu of Gleyber Torres three years ago? What if they had swung a deal for then-Indians lefty Andrew Miller, sending Schwarber to the Tribe? We’ll never know. Playing the ‘what if’ game is dangerous and, ultimately, a pretty useless exercise.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), while nothing is remotely close, New York has maintained its interest in Schwarber since 2016, saying, “at this moment there is no momentum, according to major-league sources, and chances are there will never be.”

Then why bother digging into it further? Because as we hear about the Cubs shopping guys like Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras, it stands to reason Chicago will entertain offers on other players, as well – including Schwarber. Making a deal work with New York, however, seems like a long shot barring some major changes in the Bronx.

Chicago Cubs: Where would Schwarber fit into the Yankees lineup?

As Rosenthal points out, the Yankees could very well head into 2020 with just two left-handed bats on their 26-man roster (it’s going to take some time to get used to writing that, boy). Schwarber would obviously address such an issue, but there are plenty of obstacles to a deal making sense.

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New York has not shied away from adding firepower in recent years. They already boast Aaron Judge (under team control through 2022) and Giancarlo Stanton (controlled through 2027). Stanton, at this point, rarely plays the field, instead filling the DH role when he’s healthy enough to play – which makes fitting Schwarber, who, to many, profiles as a designated hitter challenging, to say the least.

In theory, he could play left field – but that seems like an unlikely solution, as well. The Yankees seem poised to head into the spring with Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier splitting time in left, as Aaron Hicks works his way back from injury. I can’t see New York coming off Tauchman given he’s one of the two aforementioned left-handed bats they have on the roster.

Frazier has long seemed like a trade chip. I’d be pretty surprised if he was with the team in Florida come February. But I thought the same thing at the deadline last year and here we are. The only other alternative would be Schwarber changing positions – maybe playing first base?

It’s not as unreasonable as it sounds. Remember, he used to catch and has thrown himself into becoming a suitable defensive outfielder following his return from knee surgery. Still, that’s a huge gamble for the Yankees – despite the offensive prowess Schwarber boasts.

Chicago Cubs: It’s a matter of when, not if the team makes a move

With half of December still to go, it seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. Chicago is going to make at least one, if not multiple, significant moves this offseason. The Cubs “are open to trading nearly every one of their players,” according to Rosenthal – which comes as no surprise to anyone who follows the team.

After winning 95 games but losing to Colorado in the 2018 Wild Card game, we (and apparently Theo Epstein) wrote it off as a fluke. But coming off just 84 regular season wins this year and missing the postseason entirely, some long overdue change is coming to this team.

Schwarber could fit with the Yankees. But they’re not the only team that will have interest in a guy who put together a scorching second half, finishing the year with a career-high 38 home runs and a .997 OPS after the All-Star Break. Many clubs will undoubtedly pick up the phone with interest in the former first-rounder. As always, it comes down to teams lining up – which is easier said than done.

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Do I think the Cubs ultimately trade Schwarber to the Yankees? Probably not. But this latest report shows that Epstein is indeed leaving all options on the table – from shopping a former MVP to rekindling three-year-old discussions with New York. Whatever it takes to get the team back playing in October come 2020.

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Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber has long been considered a fit for a team like the Yankees, but figuring out the logistics of a deal remains a difficulty.

Chicago Cubs: Where would Schwarber fit into the Yankees lineup?

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Chicago Cubs: It’s a matter of when, not if the team makes a move

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