Chicago Cubs: Which 3 Cubs could be traded during the 2020 season?

Chicago Cubs: Either way, team needs a dominant Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel was supposed to save the 2019 Cubs bullpen. Instead, he doomed it.

The veteran closer, likely bound for Cooperstown when he hangs up his spikes, agreed to a deal with Chicago early last June once he was no longer tied to draft pick compensation. The three-year, $43 million contract was a far cry from what he sought early in the offseason and he looked like the answer for a Cubs staff that regularly struggled in high-leverage spots.

As we all know, that’s not how things played out. Instead, Kimbrel turned in the worst season of his professional career. Across the board, his numbers trended in the wrong direction and now the Cubs are staring at two more years of a closer they’re not sure is up to the job.

But suppose he is and he returns with a vengeance in 2020. If the team is struggling at the deadline, could Epstein look to move off Kimbrel to cut payroll and acquire young talent in return? It’s not out of the question – but such a move would leave a glaring hole at the back end of the Chicago bullpen.

Chicago Cubs: Trading Quintana this year makes a ton of sense

Jose Quintana has never been an ace. He was the best pitcher on some lackluster White Sox staffs, but he’s not one of the best pitchers in baseball and he never has been. That didn’t stop Epstein from paying an ace’s price when he acquired the left-hander ahead of the deadline in 2017, though.

Since coming to the North Side, Quintana has compiled a 4.23 ERA, 3.95 FIP and 1.303 WHIP across 429 2/3 regular season innings. Again, that’s a quality four on a decent big league staff. But the Cubs knew what they would be getting out of him – long-term cost control. Heading into the final season of his deal, the southpaw will earn just his prorated portion of his $10.5 million salary this year.

Why does this matter? For two reasons. First and foremost, the Cubs spent the entire offseason trying to reset their luxury tax penalties and get under the bottom competitive balance tax threshold. They failed to do so – and the now altered 2020 season format could make this even costlier than it would have been initially.

Trading Quintana helps Epstein get closer to getting under that $208 million mark and resets the team’s spending penalties heading into next offseason. Secondly, a team in the midst of a playoff push could easily absorb that kind of money, potentially shoring up their rotation for the stretch run and postseason for a palatable sum.

Chicago Cubs: A trade of Bryant would shake fans to their core

When the Cubs reported to spring training in Mesa in February, it seemed very possible Kris Bryant might not be among them. But the former National League MVP and Rookie of the Year suited up for the club and remains one of the faces of the franchise at this moment.

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Epstein was handcuffed for almost the entire offseason as he awaited the long-anticipated ruling on Bryant’s service time grievance that was filed five years ago. There was no way to shop Bryant effectively without knowing whether you had one or two years of control over the young slugger.

I mean, it’s possible even though the Cubs came out on top in the hearing, they still get just one year of control over Bryant – but we’ll have to wait and see on that front. He’ll make a prorated $18.6 million salary this year, after his next-to-last pass through arbitration – a massive sum considering the team’s payroll situation.

Trading Bryant might be the quickest way toward a competitive future. You’d reset your luxury tax penalties, bring in a strong return of young talent and avoid parting ways after next season with nothing to show but a draft pick when he walks in free agency.

Sure, maybe the two sides agree on a long-term extension and Bryant is a Cub for life. But if you’re a betting man, this is the guy who seems most likely to be wearing a different uniform by year’s end.