Chicago Cubs: Five potential trades to make with the National League West

In the last of a six-part series featuring prospective trades with every team in baseball, Kris Bryant takes center stage in several real-life rumors that could see the former MVP in a different city.

Some trades are about money. Some are about winning right now. Others are about winning in a few years. Sometimes, you’re just looking to bolster organizational depth. You know it and I know it. With that being said, we’re going to be going through each division with all of those possible trades in mind. Not for the Cubs per se, as my goal in every trade is to win.

I don’t really know (and probably never will) if that’s the order of the day for the Cubs front office, but that will be my goal. Every trade I propose will have the sole purpose of putting the Cubs in a better position to win now and possibly even going forward. You’re only promised today, so why worry about next year or 2022, right?

After covering possible trades with the entire American League (East, Central, West) in previous weeks and the NL East and Central, it’s time to tackle the last division in this six part series on possible offseason trades. It’s sad to see the end of this series, but even The Wire and The Sopranos had to come to an end at some point. Hopefully, the last in this series leaves you hoping to walk through a garden of ivy in a couple of months… and even if no trades happen this offseason, don’t stop believin’ in the Cubbies and new manager David Ross in 2020.

As promised, let’s get this thing started with some serious rumors and discussion from the Mile High City.

Chicago Cubs: These guys would look good together on the left side

Much has been made in recent weeks of a possible trade of Nolan Arenado. Colorado, despite just signing Arenado to a long-term deal last February, doesn’t have the big city money of a New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. If they don’t think they’ll compete in the NL West for the foreseeable future, perhaps they cut bait with their All-Star third baseman. Sound familiar? Everything but the extension part sounds an awful lot like a similar thing going on in Chicago.

Why extend a guy for eight years and $260 million if you’re going to turn around and trade him the next season? While I don’t know and don’t claim to understand much of anything on the owner or GM level of baseball, from a playing standpoint, Arenado is a heckuva player. Teaming him with Javier Baez on the left side of the infield immediately makes it the best in the game.

Arenado does have his home/road Colorado splits to answer for if he gets traded, but defense plays both home and away. And, Arenado is a Gold Glove winner. In fact, he’s won the Gold Glove every single season he’s been in the big leagues- seven straight years, to be exact.

Chicago Cubs: These two would also look good in Cubbie blue together

If the Rockies are listening to offers for Arenado and the Cubs don’t want the Cardinals to grab the two-way star, maybe they make a power play of their own… that is, if the rumors of their lack of money have been greatly exaggerated. Which, they probably have not been considering this is year two and offseason of two of not doing much and not spending much.

However, let’s say the Cubs do make a play. They may need to trade their own All-Star third baseman (and former-MVP, to boot) Kris Bryant, or they may just need to move him into the outfield to try out the Bryant in the outfield on a permanent basis. Regardless of the way the Cubs go, what would it take for the Cubs to land Arenado with seven years of control? Colorado wants prospects no doubt, although the money coming off the books from Arenado’s deal means maybe not as much of a prospect haul as one might think.

If the Cubs start with Miguel Amaya and Adbert Alzolay, team those two top prospects with current MLB-ready players Ian Happ and David Bote, how much more would they need to get the trade done? One more prospect? Maybe they could move Jason Heyward as part of this deal?

Granted, even with the already-confirmed Arenado rumors swirling around and Bruce Levine’s own opine on a Cub Arenado deal, it’s highly unlikely this happens given the financial state of the Cubs and the moving parts this would require. But hey, it’s not my money- I’d love to see Arenado manning the hot corner and the Cubs figuring out a way to keep Bryant. A lineup with Baez, Bryant, Arenado, Rizzo, Schwarber, and Contreras would be scary good.

Chicago Cubs: Another veteran lefty wouldn’t be so bad, right?

Knowing exactly what the Dbacks would want in return and where they see themselves going after signing Madison Bumgarner and Kole Calhoun this offseason would help, but we don’t currently have access to that inside information. I do know that if these guys aren’t on the table now, they’re exactly the kind of pieces the Cubs could add at the deadline should they be in contention and the Dbacks floundering.

As it stands, if the Dbacks are willing to move them for present and future considerations, maybe a Zack Short, Ian Happ, Adbert Alzolay deal makes sense. It gives the Dbacks control over three guys who could step into spots this year or next for several years down the road. It gives the Cubs one year of three quality MLB guys to get them through this season and allows them flexibility to make decisions based on finances and performance next offseason.

If the Dbacks are in win-now mode, which is what their offseason moves would signal to most, perhaps there’s a way to make Kris Bryant and Jason Hewyard’s money disappear from the Cubs books for this season and the future. This route might include some prospects coming back in addition to the three Dbacks already named, or it might just include the taking-on of over $120 million in contracts (over the next four years between Bryant and Heyward). Whichever way it would go, both teams would certainly see some change and it would send a signal to the clubhouse that they’re trying to win.

Chicago Cubs: A low-risk gamble might just pay off in the pen

Sometimes the best moves are the ones that don’t get made. Still others are so small at the time that no one is even watching. So goes trades and possible trades in professional sports as well. When dealing with a club that has a ton of prospect assets at their disposal, money is usually the best way to help yourself get what you want.

However, we’ve established time and time again (despite mostly foolish hope and optimism that it might be possible to spend loosely) that the Cubs don’t seem willing to take on any more money at this time. In order to work a deal with the prospect-laden Padres, it would seem that the trade would have to be for a player who would help both teams out in the near future. Or it could just be for a cast-off who the organization doesn’t see a fit with/for.

In that vein, the Cubs could make a play on a guy who has had a rough couple years but once started his career in a promising way. Kyle Barraclough hasn’t had a good season since 2017, with peripherals that don’t paint a pretty picture for the right-handed reliever. With velocity dipping and walk numbers rising, this is a guy who may be at a career crossroads. However, it’s also a guy who may just need a new pitching coach or a new organization to regain what he once had.

After a lousy 2018 in Miami, he had an even worse 2019 in Washington and San Francisco. Given a minor-league deal and an invite to big league camp, it wouldn’t take much for the Cubs to either get Barraclough for nothin if he doesn’t make the Padres roster out of camp or for a little something if they value him before then. If it’s just a lottery ticket guy or cash, and the Cubs see a guy they can work with or fix, Chicago is just the place for the broken and misfit reliever toys. Who knows- maybe Tommy Hottovy can even play the part of King Moonracer?

Chicago Cubs: Could a swap of huge contracts benefit both teams?

Jason Heyward seems like a swell fellow. He makes great speeches during rain delays. He is also a great right fielder. However, he hasn’t lived up to the hype or contract Theo Epstein gave him after the 2015 season and he’s not a great hitter. He’s also signed for another four years and $86 million. If that’s not something the Cubs want to swallow or deal with going forward, it’s now or never to make a deal with his no-trade clause not in effect at the moment.

The key is, everyone else knows he’s not worth that kind of money either, so the Cubs would have to eat some of the money or take on someone else on a hefty contract. I eschewed the term “bad contract” because I don’t quite want to say that it’s bad per se, as Heyward has still been a competent major leaguer, just not the 5 WAR player he was with the Braves or Cardinals earlier in his career.

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Dots have been connected between Heyward and the San Francisco Giants before, so why not connect them here. San Francisco has a large right field that Heyward would patrol masterfully, and his defensive value would be super high there. While he may have lost a step at this point in his career, he’s still one of the best defensive right fielders in the game and he might be more valuable by the bay. If the Giants are interested, they have no shortage of possible big-money targets who haven’t quite lived up to their contracts.

The Cubs could look to stage a reunion with Jeff Sarmardzija or take on Johnny Cueto after being out for the better part of two years rehabbing his elbow. Cueto is owed $47 million (including a $5 million buyout for a third season) over the next two years and Samardzija is owed $19.8 million this season. While the money doesn’t quite match up, Heyward might be valued more highly in the land of the trolleys, and give the Giants greater relief in 2020 if that’s what they’re after.

While the Cubs likely wouldn’t want to take on that kind of money, perhaps they make another play with one of those pitchers or a Jose Quintana following this deal. After 2021, the Cubs would no longer owe any money to any of the three, really opening up their flexibility for the future.

Chicago Cubs: The crown jewel of a de-Lux package?

Since he has been the biggest name mentioned in trade talks over the past few months and he’s been the best Cubs player over the last five seasons, it makes for some kind of ironic or twisted ending to have Kris Bryant shipped off to our greatest playoff nemesis over that same time period- the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This is a rumor that has seemed to get some traction the past few weeks, especially as viable third base options have come off the map. If the Dodgers are looking to replace Justin Turner at the hot corner (or shift him over to first base), it makes sense a play for Bryant could be in the works. The Dodgers have more money than anyone but the Yankees and they certainly haven’t been shy about spending it over the years. A play for Bryant after seven straight disappointing seasons might be what they think they need to put them over the top.

The Dodgers aren’t going to want to part with top prospect Gavin Lux, but if that’s the price, they may just be desperate enough to pay it if they think Bryant will push them over the top in the National League the next two years. If the Cubs can land the middle-infield prospect, he could kill two birds with one stone for the Cubs, allowing them to have a second baseman and leadoff man for many years. It would also allow them to use Nico Hoerner either in centerfield or at third base and give them a much more contact-oriented lineup with both youngsters added.

It remains to be seen if the Dodgers would part with Lux, but he’d be the start of the talks, with one or two other guys landing Bryant for sure. While rumors have circulated around red-headed right-hander Dustin May, the Cubs might not be able to swing both Lux and May.

Settling for Josiah Gray might be nearly as good though, as they’re both 22 and have similar prospect credentials. May might be a bit more advanced, but Gray and Lux would be a good haul if the Cubs decide to deal Bryant. If the Cubs want a guy who can help immediately, Tony Gonsolin might be another guy to target amongst Dodger prospects, a right-hander who has already seen time in the bigs as well.

While it’s likely none of the trade proposals I’ve thrown out over the past six weeks are going to happen, I’ve done my best to be as realistic as possible in looking at needs, wants, and constraints of both the Cubs and the team in each trade. My turn as Epstein and Hoyer may have been a bit optimistic, but hope springs eternal and it’s hard not to wear a bit of a rose tint every now and then.