8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention

8 Cubs that could be available at the deadline if they fall out of contention - #5: Julian Merryweather

A recent MLB.com piece pegged reliever Julian Merryweather as a top trade piece - and it's safe to say that early on in the year, this was not a name you'd have thought valuable, either as a trade chip or as a member of the 26-man roster.

But the hard-throwing right-hander has turned things around and emerged as a rare reliable presence in the Chicago bullpen. Dating back to April 17, Merryweather has made 23 appearances spanning 22 2/3 innings, striking out 34 and working to a 1.19 ERA and 1.60 FIP. Throw in the fact he's under team control for three more seasons and it's easy to see the appeal.

Last summer, Jed Hoyer and the front office flipped breakout reliever David Robertson to Philadelphia for Ben Brown, who's emerged as a top-shelf pitching prospect since joining the Cubs organization. Could they look to swing a similar trade involving Merryweather if the season is lost? I wouldn't count out the possibility, that's for sure.