Chicago Cubs: This AL powerhouse might be a perfect trade partner

Chicago Cubs: The Astros have every reason to add some big pieces

The Astros are currently one of the premier teams in all of baseball and with Carlos Correa slated to hit free agency in the coming winter, they’ll be very aggressive in an attempt to capitalize on their World Series window one last time. Their biggest need is undeniably in the bullpen, which is luckily something the Cubs aren’t lacking.

Chicago boasts an embarrassment of riches in the bullpen – and, better yet, there are options at varying price points. Teams looking to go big could make a play for Kimbrel, while guys like Tepera, Chafin and others fall into that most cost-conscious group. The bullpen isn’t the only focus for Houston, however, as the team is also looking into acquiring starting pitching. The Cubs could, in theory, send Hendricks to Houston but this isn’t too likely. However, a Zach Davies trade could make more sense.

Houston could be looking for rotational depth and Davies makes sense as a perfect back end starter. The Cubs likely wouldn’t fetch much for him, but if you’re selling off, there’s little reason to hold onto the soft-tossing righty. Davies isn’t likely to be re-signed and isn’t going to qualify for a compensation pick, so they may as well get something for him while they can.

The final fit that could be intriguing for both sides is Kris Bryant. At first glance, it may not make a ton of sense for Houston to add another bat that is stacked from top to bottom, especially when Alex Bregman is sitting at third for Houston, and almost every position Bryant regularly plays is filled. But the one spot in the lineup the Astros don’t have an overwhelmingly great player at is in center, and Kris Bryant is more than capable of filling that void.