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: Does Kris Bryant look like he’s having fun?

The Blue Jays, homeless for the shortened 2020 season, have signaled to the rest of baseball that they’re ready to rock and roll in 2021. If they’re serious about pulling off this kind of trade for two All-Star level caliber players in their prime, the signal will be flashing in huge neon lights.

Competing in a division with the almost always competitive and big spenders like the Yankees and Red Sox, as well as the model “win with no budget” franchise, the Rays, the Blue Jays have decided their nucleus and young core is looking for a few finishing pieces in order to go on a deep playoff run in 2021.

The Blue Jays are stocked with young position players, some young arms, as well as some recently acquired free agents who have placed them in a spot where they’re one of the few teams who look like they’re actively trying to win. Going out and getting Bryant and Hendricks would be like doubling down on two Kings.

The only question for the Blue Jays at this point, it seems, remains what they’d be willing to part with in order to make this happen…

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.