Chicago Cubs Rumors: Craig Counsell will have input at MLB Trade Deadline

It's becoming clearer by the day what the Chicago Cubs will be shopping for at the Major League Baseball Trade in July.

Look no further than this past weekend, when the Cubs were swept in a rain-logged, two-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs' loss on Saturday highlighted the lack of legitimate options that Craig Counsell has at the backend of his bullpen, while Sunday night's loss was another case of why the offensive woes will need to be addressed.

As the Cubs set to begin a four-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, the team has undoubtedly reached a pivotal point in their season. At one game above .500, the Cubs are in second place in the National League Central, 3.5 games behind the Brewers. Meanwhile, the red-hot Cardinals have won 8 of their last 10 and only trail the Cubs by 1 game.

The Cubs, paying Counsell the highest clip of any manager in Major League Baseball, have had to rely heavily on their manager to be the reason the team is winning games. The Cubs have a flawed roster, and if their weaknesses are not addressed at the trade deadline, the season will end in a deflating fashion.

To that end, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (Subscription Required) confirmed that Counsell will have a voice in terms of the moves that the Cubs make at the deadline.

Counsell will let Hoyer know what he needs at the trade deadline and how the Cubs should be constructed.

This is exactly why Counsell will be the Cubs' manager for the next five years. The Cubs need to value opinion from a decision-maker that has the ability to be calculated and not driven by emotion. We saw that last week when Counsell removed Kyle Hendricks from the starting rotation and we will see that influence again in the trades that the team makes at the deadline.