5 Chicago Cubs MLB trade deadline chips whose value is skyrocketing

5 Chicago Cubs whose trade value is skyrocketing: 4 – Andrew Chafin

Otherwise known as ‘The Sheriff,’ Andrew Chafin is having a fantastic year in Cubbie blue. For a guy that has been lights out pretty much all season, $2,750,000 is not a bad price to pay for your eighth inning setup man. Not an unrestricted free agent until 2023, his contract for 2022 includes a mutual option and $500,000 buyout.

Legend has it, his mustache grows a millimeter longer for every batter he strikes out. At 8.3 punchouts per nine innings of work, you can see that to be true. His numbers have been remarkable all year. In fact, this is the best year he has had in his entire career. A 1.38 ERA (two whole runs down from his career 3.39), an otherworldly 2.3 percent walk rate and just six earned runs allowed in 39 innings of work has landed Chafin on our list of those whose value is sky-high approaching the deadline

Much like Dillon Maples, putting together a trade for just Andrew Chafin is rather, how do you put it, you’d rather just keep Chafin at that point instead. Putting Chafin together with a guy like Kris Bryant – who a team like the New York Mets have shown real interest in? That’s another story.

A scenario such as this gives them KB and another solid piece to further strengthen their bullpen. What could a return look like? I am not 100 percent sure as KB is a rental. Could it return their number one or two prospect by adding in Chafin?

If Hoyer is looking to retool and turn this thing around quickly, putting together stronger packages for top prospects that are nearing big league-ready status, instead of selling an individual player for lower end prospects may be the way to go. Get yourself the best young up-and-coming player you can. Set yourself up nicely in the next two years by dumping the guys who wont be here then anyway.