Cubs Rumors: There’s no chance of a Francisco Lindor trade

Despite recent rumors, there is no way the Chicago Cubs acquire Francisco Lindor via trade this offseason.

The Chicago Cubs are going to undergo big changes this offseason after their wild-card round exit against the Marlins. In particular, the offense has been the focus as it can’t seem to fix itself despite a merry-go-round of hitting coaches. Surely then, we need to add another big bat on top of that, right?

MLB Trade Rumors recently looked at potential landing spots for Indians superstar Francisco Lindor, and sure enough, the Cubs were on that list. In a perfect world, a middle infield manned by Javier Baez and his good friend would be among the best in all of baseball on both sides of the ball. To add to that, Baez even said he’d go back to playing second base if the team added Lindor, something that surely got fans talking.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups
• Cubs: P.J. Higgins deserves to be in the lineup on a daily basis

We need to be realistic, though. The Cubs’ farm system is still in the basement compared to other MLB organizations and needs restocking. Acquiring Lindor would only set the team even farther back as the Indians will be looking for top dollar for one of the league’s best players.

Furthermore, the team’s problems aren’t something that a singular superstar bat can solve. The Cubs desperately need starting pitching to bolster a group that only has two locks at the moment. The organization will need to focus on finding a few capable arms outside of the organization to help fill the holes left by Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, and Tyler Chatwood.

Even on the offensive side, the team needs multiple bats with a different profile from the Cubs’ approach as of late. As Michael Consolo pointed out, the offense needs to target hitters who can make more contact and get on base at a higher clip. Lindor isn’t bad at this with a career batting average at .285 and on-base at .346, but the team needs more than one bat that can set up for the big power bats already in the lineup.

Lindor will likely make somewhere in the realm of $20 million next year, adding further reason to avoid adding him to the team in 2021. Right now, they need that money if they’re going to retool the team this offseason. The fit is there, and the prospect of adding Lindor is tantalizing, but it’s time to be realistic and give more importance to improving the team than adding the big-name star.