3 early trade targets to bolster the Chicago Cubs bullpen

2. Michael Kopech -Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have finally moved Michael Kopech to the bullpen and it's no surprise that he is doing well in the closer role. The guy really only uses his fastball and slider, which is all you need as a reliever if you can throw 100 mph. He's striking out more than a batter per inning (15 K's in 10.1 IP), the ERA is at a decent 3.48 and although Kopech doesn't have a lot of saves yet, that's because the White Sox haven't given him many opportunities to get one. Having been shut out six times already with an abysmal record of 3-15 on the season, the White Sox haven't had many save situations.

If I were White Sox general manager Chris Getz, I would want to trade as many assets as possible right now to shore up the farm system for the future. As long as Kopech can handle his new bullpen duties, I'd expect him to be one of the next players shipped off. The only hiccup for the Cubs is that Kopech might cost them more than they're willing to give up. He still has another year of control on his contract in 2025, and if he is playing well come the trade deadline, other teams will want him too. But the Cubs have the prospects to make deals like this and it may be worth acquiring Kopech to make a playoff run. And the Sox would undoubtedly want to get their hands on some of the Cubs' top-hitting prospects.