Chicago Cubs Rumors: 3 trade candidates to free up 40-man roster

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The last 12 hours of MLB free agency regarding the Chicago Cubs have been wild. With reports circulating that the team not only met with Carlos Correa but that they may be looking to go huge and acquire two of the top three remaining shortstops. Furthermore, where we otherwise might dismiss these comments as too good to be true, Tom Ricketts has given Jed Hoyer the green light to turn the Cubs into a winning team. With just four 40-man roster spots available, how exactly might the Cubs go about that?

Elsewhere, lost in the frenzy of potential star shortstop signings, was a report that the Cubs are now involved in the trade market regarding the Oakland Athletics catcher, Sean Murphy. Granted, if the Cubs sign any of Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, or Dansby Swanson, let alone two of them, they will probably earn a solid A grade for the offseason regardless. Although Sean Murphy is a name further down the list of who you may be thinking about right now, acquiring him via trade will prove critical if the Cubs want to hit it out of the park this winter.

Trading for Murphy is vital to this whole thing because, in doing so, they have the much-needed opportunity to move MLB-ready talent off the 40-man roster further to open up spots for free agency this winter. If a trade doesn't come to fruition, the Cubs probably have no real issue DFAing guys if they have to. Hypothetically, if they go all out and get two shortstops, a pitcher, and a first baseman, they still need a catcher and a center fielder. With that being said, let's look at three players that could be part of a blockbuster deal to free up 40-man roster spots for free agency this winter.

Cincinnati Reds v Chicago Cubs / Matt Dirksen/GettyImages

Three trade candidates - 3. Erich Uelman

Starting with an option out of the bullpen, Erich Uelman. For the Cubs in 2022, Uelman posted an underwhelming 4.67 ERA in 27 appearances. However, there is certainly some untapped potential via adjustments for the righty. You saw it in his Triple-A numbers this season where he posted a 2.79 ERA in 42 frames, recording 53 strikeouts in the process. The 26 years old still has six years of team control, which bodes well in terms of value if you can unlock that arm a little more at the major league level.

For Oakland, relievers are a necessity they can't ignore. In 2022, the Oakland Athletics' bullpen recorded a lackluster 4.37 ERA, which was 6th worst in the entire MLB. Picking up a reliever such as Uelman, who has multiple years of control, coupled with 3 MiLB options remaining, is at least a piece the A's could find helpful in return for trading their premier backstop. Uelman would not be the centerpiece of a trade by any means, but he frees up an invaluable 40-man spot this winter so the Cubs can continue going back in free agency.

Chicago Cubs v Miami Marlins / Megan Briggs/GettyImages

Three trade candidates - 2. Alfonso Rivas

Alfonso Rivas comes in at number two because we know the Cubs plan to give Matt Mervis a shot as a left-handed first baseman. With further reports indicating that Cubs even want to platoon a righty with Mervis to transition him into MLB life gradually, Rivas becomes the odd man out. You don't want to have to DFA Rivas altogether, and getting something in return could be in the form of trade via Sean Murphy if the Cubs do indeed go that route.

In 2021, Rivas recorded a .318/.388/.409 in a small sample size of 44 ABs. The number dropped dramatically in 2022 with a slash of just .235/.322/.307 in 251 ABs, but in 101 games that he appeared in, it's safe to say he never really got a chance to get into that much of a long-term rhythm at the major league level. In Triple-A Iowa however, Rivas slashed .298/.368/.415. Hopefully, the Cubs can get something in return for him via trade. He has 2 options remaining.

Three trade candidates - 1. P.J. Higgins

Last but not least, we come to P.J. Higgins. Accruing just over a year of service time at the major league level, Higgins serves as a catcher, third baseman, and first baseman. If the Cubs get a catcher this winter, Higgins' time in Chicago is quite bleak. With Yan Gomes in the mix and Miguel Amaya getting healthier, the Cubs won't keep four catchers on the 40-man roster. Therefore, trading him as part of a package for a catcher makes all the sense in the world for both Chicago and Oakland.

Next. Tom Ricketts approves aggressive spending. dark

Higgins slashed just .229/.310/.383 in 201 ABs for the Cubs this season. He has the versatility to be plugged into a fill-in role on a major league team when needed. None of the aforementioned players are the focus of any potential trade in this scenario. Still, hopefully, guys Jed Hoyer can sneak into a trade package to remove them off the 40-man roster and get anything in return without having to DFA players altogether. With all the swirling reports since last night, we expect the next 48 hours to be completely nuts for the Chicago Cubs.

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Three trade candidates - 3. Erich Uelman

Three trade candidates - 2. Alfonso Rivas

Three trade candidates - 1. P.J. Higgins

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