Chicago Cubs: Five trades that could have created a dynasty

Chicago Cubs: What if the Cubs added Manny in 2018 instead of the Dodgers?

Cubs trade with Orioles ends up helping the Cubs to a World Series title. Where have I seen this story before? Oh, that’s right- Arrieta and Pedro Strop were once Orioles included in one of the better trades in Cubs history.

Well, what if I told you that this particular imaginary trade was supposedly a possibility in the offseason of 2018? Is that something you might have been interested in?

What if I told Cubs fans I could have made Addison Russell another team’s problem before the 2018 season? Is that something you might have been interested in?

What if I told you that in making this trade, the 2018 Cubs may have been able to not only withstand the injuries/loss of Kris Bryant and do more damage in the postseason?

Yeah, I thought you might be interested.

Knowing what we do in 2020 changes so many variables for the Cubs in this past trade scenario mostly because of who we could have used as trade bait with other clubs. Knowing what we did a few years ago, if Addison Russell had been traded after the 2016 World Series, Cubs fans would have stroked out and boycotted the team.

Cubs writer Tony Andracki even scoffed at the notion of trading Russell for Machado straight up. However, with the gift of hindsight, trading Russell at the height of his value right after the World Series would have been exactly what they should have done.