Chicago Cubs will trade these two pitchers during the season

The Chicago Cubs added a plethora of pitching this offseason. As a result, the team could very well move two pitchers during the season.

The Chicago Cubs have invited 21 non-roster players to Mesa for Spring Training that starts in a few days. This is in addition to the acquisitions of Jharel Cotton, Jeremy Jeffress, Casey Sadler, Ryan Tepera and Dan Winkler earlier in the offseason.

Some will remain on the 40-man roster, others will be assigned to the minors and there will be a few who will be outrighted. Given the team’s uncertainty surrounding this year’s pitching staff, all of these guys have a shot at impacting the 2020 club.

As we all know at this point, Jose Quintana, was acquired from the White Sox for Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, first baseman Matt Rose, and middle infielder Bryant Flete.  In his two and a half years on the Northside, the left-hander has been reliable if nothing else given he’s never missed a start.  He has also been fairly solid if unremarkable in the fourth spot posting a 4.23 ERA and 1.303 WHIP.

But this is not the Quintana the Cubs believed they were acquiring back in 2017.  What the Cubs were planning to get was this: in 2015-2016 a 3.28 ERA, 1.215 WHIP with a 3.81 strikeout-to-walk ratio who in 2016 was an All-Star and came in tenth in American League Cy Young voting.

Theo Epstein opted to pick up Quintana’s $10.5 million team option for 2020 – giving him another arm to slot in behind the likes of Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester. The 31-year-old southpaw is poised to hit free agency next winter, potentially making this his last season on the North Side.

If Quintana steps up and reverts back to what made him an ace on the South Side as recently as 2017 and one of the other aforementioned pitchers break out, look for Epstein to capitalize. There would be about $5 million left on his contract, making him a very attractive option for a cost-conscious team looking to add a reliable starter ahead of a postseason push.

Chicago Cubs: A strong showing could help Epstein flip Chatwood

Chatwood pitched in long relief, started five games and even closed nine games.  He finished with his second-best season ERA (3.76), WHIP (1.330) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.00).  If the veteran hurler starts 2020, his last contract year, the way he finished 2019, the Cubs could absolutely look to deal him.  At the trade deadline, his cost would be less than half of his $12.67 million AAV and well worth the bargain for a team looking to bolster its bullpen.

Now, this all hinges on at least a couple of the myriad of pitchers the Cubs are bringing into camp and have signed performing far above expectations.  Can Mills, Alzolay, or one of the others step up and fill the back spot in the rotation?

Can one of the hordes of NRI pitchers like Morrow, Hultzen or De La Cruz rise to take a spot in the bullpen?  If so, the Cubs could flip Chatwood and/or Quintana to clear payroll and pick up a couple of prospects as those two head out the door.