Top 10 Chicago Cubs trade candidates, ranked

The Chicago Cubs finally snapped their 11-game losing streak on Wednesday night, but even with the victory, sit 8 1/2 games out of first entering action on Thursday. In the span of two weeks, Chicago went from division leader to likely seller – and with that change, the futures of almost every guy on the roster is up in the air.

With just weeks until the trade deadline, it’s a perfect time to look at the most likely Cubs to be dealt. We’re going to rank them, with 10 being the least likely and 1 being the most. Let’s get started with a guy who’s actually under control past the end of the season.

Chicago Cubs Trade Candidates: #10 – Willson Contreras

Almost all the chatter surrounding the Cubs is focused around a group of free agents to be. But if the front office is looking to maximize returns, they could dangle two-time All-Star catcher Willson Contreras in the weeks to come.

The Venezuelan native is batting just .236 on the year, but carries a 111 OPS+ through 78 contests. That matches his 2020 performance exactly, and his 1.7 WAR ranks eighth among big league catchers this season.

We’ve heard talk in the past that Chicago will try to flip things over quickly heading into 2022. A trade of Contreras would send a pretty clear message that is no longer the plan, given he’s under control through next year. Trading an All-Star catcher, widely regarded as one of the best in the game, could be the final straw in fans’ patience with the organization, which is why I’ve got this as the least-likely move – but such boldness could also fetch one of the better hauls from another club.