Chicago Cubs: Five potential trades with the American League West

Chicago Cubs: Could Kemp be heading back to Houston?

Let’s be honest here- does Tony Kemp fit into the Cubs plans at all? Does anyone view him as a better option than any of the backup outfielders, second basemen, or utility guys we already have? Maybe it was just an underwhelming couple months with the Cubs or maybe I just think we have better options, but maybe Houston would want Kemp back?

With Nico Hoerner waiting in the wings and Ian Happ more than capable to play a few games at second or in the outfield, why would we need Kemp? Add to the mix AAA guys Zack Short and Robel Garcia, (and even lackluster Daniel Descalso) and Kemp just seems utterly redundant on the 2020 Cubs. That being said, Houston used him better than the Cubs did and he could be one of those guys who holds more value to the Astros than anyone else- or maybe it was just the garbage cans too…

My proposition is to send Kemp back to the Astros (if they’ll take him) and take on some salary for the Astros, whose payroll will skyrocket in 2020 and have already been rumored to be trying to get some relief. Speaking of relief, the salary the Cubs could take on would be reliever Ryan Pressly, a reliever who fills an area of need for the Cubs and is only signed for 2020 with a vesting option the Cubs could keep at bay if push came to shove.

This move would require the Cubs to take on $8.75 million in Pressly’s 2020 contract, but they need to sign a veteran reliever anyhow and it is an extreme area of need. Kemp is still a pre-arb player and has four more years of team control, but I just don’t see the Cubs ever needing Kemp in any significant role, nor do I even see him being a suitable utility guy. Let’s hope the Astros are serious about shedding salary and value Kemp more than me.