6 Cubs trade deadline targets, ranked from likely to long shots

6 Cubs trade targets, ranked most likely to least likely: #1 - Paul Goldschmidt

For the first time in recent memory (literally, years), the St. Louis Cardinals are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline. If I'm president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and I'm looking to improve my team long-term, I'm shopping 2022 NL MVP first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

Goldschmidt, still among the best first basemen in the league, turns 36 in September and has just one year of team control remaining. Trading him could allow St. Louis to further bolster a farm system that already ranked ninth in MLB heading into the season, per MLB Pipeline.

The Cubs desperately need some sort of regular production from the first base position and there's pretty much zero chance St. Louis trades their star slugger to a division rival, but it's enticing to think about him at first and hitting in the middle of the order on a daily basis. A dream scenario, sure - but Hoyer isn't about to send blue chip prospects to the Cardinals, so we can probably rule this one out.