Cubs Rumors: Blue Jays eyeing both Kris Bryant and Kyle Hendricks

While it certainly wouldn’t be out of place in this already annoying offseason, any trade involving Kris Bryant and Kyle Hendricks definitely would be signaling that the Cubs are no longer even farcically attempting to win in 2021.

One could make the case that the Chicago Cubs were going another direction with homegrown masher and inconsistent hitter Kyle Schwarber. Somewhere in a really difficult defense attorney’s brain, there might even be a way to spin the Yu Darvish trade as a “sell high” point after the 34-year-old had arguably the best year he’s ever had in the bigs (although what did they get for that high?).

There may even conceivably be room to argue that trading the now oft-injured and expensive Bryant is a shrewd move given the fact that he’ll be a free agent at the end of this season and Scott Boras is his agent.

Even if you could excuse the organization for everything else to this point in your merry little ‘glass half-full’ world, what would be completely indefensible is trading one of the best pitchers in the National League on a team-friendly extension in his prime. Not to mention the fact that you can’t really argue that Hendricks is losing velocity, because velocity matters as much to him as it does the Starship Enterprise.

I’d like to believe this particular possibility is a sham and the latest in a rumor-milled inspired hot-stove season that could send the Cubs into a fire sale spiral ending with no Javier Baez or Willson Contreras is a joke. I’ve also been alive this offseason and have half a brain. With that being said, let’s discuss why the Cubs might partner with the Jays and what they might be looking for in return.

Chicago Cubs: Would anything surprise you at this point?

Given what we know about the Darvish trade, the Cubs look to be positioning themselves for much further on down the road than most fans would be happy with. With a haul of prospects who can’t even legally drink yet, it seems the Cubs might be aiming for 2023 or 2024 in a possible “reload” that would be a total rebuild if this comes to fruition.

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If you start looking around and surveying what the Jays have to offer in return, it’s clear that right-hander Nate Pearson is probably not the centerpiece guy. At 24, and ready to be a guy in Toronto this year, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to go for it and then lose a guy who pitched in the postseason for them just a couple months ago. It also wouldn’t make sense for the Cubs to look ahead to four years down the road and lose several years of a good starter.

After Pearson, Toronto’s system does feature several younger players who may well be involved in any possible talks. Simeon Woods Richardson, the next highest-ranked pitcher in their system, only just turned 20 and would line up with what the Cubs seem to be doing. Woods is on the fast track to becoming a mid-rotation starter, possessing excellent command, a phenomenal two seam-runner and great athleticism. If this deal does happen, he might be one of the guys.

Chicago Cubs: Who else could Jed be looking for?

Another name who might be included is Jordan Groshans, a 6′ 3″ shortstop who is only 21 years old. Groshans projects to be a third baseman in the future, so this could be a present-for-future swap with Bryant in the deal. Groshans possesses power, the ability to barrel consistently, and a plus arm that will play at third base in the future if his athleticism doesn’t allow him to stick at short.

If the Cubs are looking for more young arms for the future, it’s also possible that Adam Kloffenstein might be the guy. Again, only 20 years old (see the trend), Kloffenstein is a large (6′ 5″ 243 lbs) presence on the mound and can dial it up into the mid 90s as a starter. As he gets stronger, it’s possible that the mid-90s might become where he sits rather than just a once-in-a-while thing. Kloffenstein (who would quickly be nicknamed something else I’m quite sure) has several above average pitches, good command with repeatable delivery, and a presence on the hill.

If other lottery tickets are involved in a possible deal, you can be sure the Cubs shortstop machine will be looking for raw materials, and the Jays have several young middle infielders who might fit the bill in Miguel Hiraldo, Estiven Machado, Leonardo Jimenez, or Rikelvin De Castro. All of those guys play short and none of them can drink, so they might just be Jed Hoyer’s kind of guys right now.

Let’s just hope if this awful thing does come to pass in some way, shape, or form that it doesn’t also include Craig Kimbrel because then it means the Cubs are probably getting even less back in prospect capital, in exchange for salary relief.