Chicago Cubs: Four outfield candidates to replace Kyle Schwarber

The Chicago Cubs parted ways with outfielder Kyle Schwarber on Wednesday.

Kyle Schwarber and fellow outfielder Albert Almora Jr. were non-tendered by the Cubs, who saved nearly $10 million in estimated costs by cutting ties.

The former first-round pick had a woeful 2020, hitting below the Mendoza line with a .701 OPS and a strikeout rate close to 30 percent. Schwarber still had strong exit velocities, but his ground ball rate also skyrocketed well over 50 percent. He was also one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball.

Now, the Cubs will have to resort to other options. Let’s go through a few potential fits available on the open market.

Chicago Cubs: Eddie Rosario is a free-swinging slugger

Our own Erik Mauro suggested the Cubs should trade for Minnesota Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario this offseason. As it turns out, that will not be necessary.

Minnesota made a somewhat surprising decision Tuesday night when it elected to waive Rosario.

The 29-year-old had been a staple of the Twins’ lineup in the past few seasons. He clubbed at least 24 homers in every season between 2017 and 2019, including 32 in 2019. Rosario hit 13 more dingers this past year, and his 115 OPS+ was the third-best mark of his career.

Signing Rosario would mark something of a shift in Chicago’s offensive approach. Schwarber epitomized Chicago’s belief in on-base guys who buy into launch angle. Only, launch angle became irrelevant when Schwarber started pounding the ball into the ground, and his tendency to take and work counts also contributed to the strikeout rate.

Conversely, Rosario is more of a free-swinger who makes contact at a fairly decent rate and still drives the ball out of the ballpark. He also had the best walk rate of his career in 2020, though it was still below 10 percent.

That said, Rosario is a poor defender and was already expected to make close to – if not more than – $10 million in arbitration prior to being waived. Would the Cubs really pay more to replace Schwarber in left field with a guy who has a worse on-base percentage?

They might, if Hoyer believes a philosophical shift can lead to more offensive success.

Chicago Cubs: Cheap, veteran bat has upside

Nick Markakis is another contact-heavy guy who could be on Chicago’s radar in the event the Cubs need outfield help.

Markakis’ season got off to a red-hot start. After initially declaring his intention to sit out the 2020 campaign due to health concerns regarding COVID-19, Markakis promptly returned to the Atlanta Braves and posted a 1.025 OPS in his first 18 games.

But things quickly soured. The 37-year-old hit just .164 with a woeful .451 OPS in his final 19 games. Markakis hardly played better in the postseason, going just 4-for-21 through the Atlanta’s first two series’ before posting a .732 OPS in the NLCS.

Still, there is reason Markakis could make sense for Chicago.

Firstly, he would be cheap. The longtime Baltimore Oriole is in the final stage of his career, and he offers little in the way of slugging. But Markakis can spray the ball to all fields, and he is just two years removed from the first All-Star season of his career.

Chicago can plug Markakis in on a cheap deal and hope his contact-heavy approach can set things in motion in the back half of the batting order. The former Gold Glover is not the same defender he once was, but would nonetheless be a defensive upgrade.

Chicago Cubs: Pillar would give Cubs steadiness and a plus glove

Veteran center fielder Kevin Pillar might be the ideal plug-and-play option for the Cubs if that is the route they choose.

Pillar is coming off a season during which he posted a career-high .798 OPS. Just one year prior, the 31-year-old hit 21 homers. Like Rosario, Pillar hardly draws walks. But he puts the ball in play and has slugging upside.

More importantly, Pillar would give the Cubs some defensive flexibility. He would allow Ian Happ to shift to left field while taking over in center. Granted, Pillar is not the same kind of defender he once was as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, but he still has decent range and can flash the leather.

Then there’s this: Pillar would also give Chicago a much-needed threat on the bases. The Californian stole at least 14 bases from 2016 to 2019, and swiped five more bags in 54 games this past season.

If the Cubs are not going to beak the bank to sign a Michael Brantley or Marcell Ozuna, they are going to resort to low-cost guys likely to take one-year deals.

Chicago could do far worse than Pillar, in that regard.