Chicago Cubs: 3 trades to help the outfield this offseason

Chicago Cubs: 3 trades to help the outfield in the offseason – #2: Whit Merrifield

Moving on, we come to a player that’s notably been on the Cubs radar for quite a while, Whit Merrifield. A true leadoff hitter – something the Cubs have seriously lacked since the departure of Dexter Fowler – Merrifield brings a high-contact bat, speed on the basepaths and the ability to play multiple positions in second base and the outfield.

Slashing a career .292/.339/.436, Merrifield will earn only $2,750,000 in 2022 with a club option of $6,500,000 for 2023 before ultimately reaching free agency in 2024. You really start to wonder how long the Royals will hold onto him considering they consistently find themselves toward the bottom of the standings last and if they fully want to rebuild as fast as possible, trading Merrifield could help expedite the process. Though it’s been said the Royals would not trade Merrifield, that statement was made in 2018.

As time has gone on, the Royals have not gotten a whole lot better and it may be finally time to pull the trigger. Sitting well under the .500 mark, the Royals entered action Wednesday a whopping 15.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. Given Merrifield’s incredibly team-friendly contract for the numbers he produces on a regular basis, he could potentially return a haul for Kansas City. Specifically a team with an assortment of recently acquired prospects – some of which could be on the block – like the Chicago Cubs.