Chicago Cubs: Five potential trades to make with AL Central clubs

Chicago Cubs: Could Byron Buxton find a home in the Windy City?

This one might be both a stretch and a risk, seeing as the guy is coming off shoulder surgery, but that’s why it just might work. The Cubs need a center fielder and they’d love to add a guy who can run. Byron Buxton checks both those boxes and the Twins might be inclined to trade the former first-round pick if the price is right due to his injury history.

As I said, this might be a risk for the Cubs, but the reward could very well be worth it if it pans out. Three years of control, an elite defender in center, and a guy who doesn’t cost an arm and a leg (scheduled to make about $3 million in 2020 in his second year of arbitration).

Buxton would not be an answer to any offensive woes and isn’t necessarily the high-contact guy they’re supposedly looking for, but this is the kind of trade that they could probably make at this moment given the way they’re hoarding their pennies. Minnesota wouldn’t seem to want to make this deal if Buxton is healthy, but maybe they figure that Jake Cave and Max Kepler can man centerfield or maybe they’d even take Ian Happ or Albert Almora back and plug and play from there.

Starting with Happ, the Cubs would have to include some other outfield prospects, including Cole Roederer or maybe even Brennen Davis to get this deal done.