Chicago Cubs Rumors: Cubs could turn to Diamondbacks for OF help

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The Chicago Cubs have a need in the outfield and could turn to the Arizona Diamondbacks for help. The Arizona Diamondbacks completed a trade with the Seattle Mariners for former rookie of the year Kyle Lewis a few days ago. In the trade, the Diamondbacks let go of catcher Cooper Hummel in a 1-for-1 deal. Bringing in Kyle Lewis makes the outfield depth in Arizona even deeper. On the 40-man roster, the Diamondbacks have eight outfielders, six of which have big-league experience. With that many outfielders, the Diamondbacks could look to fill some of their other needs by trading one. The Cubs have a hole to fill in the outfield and could look to Arizona to help fill it.

The Cubs' 40-man roster has just four outfielders with major league experience, but Nelson Velázquez struggled for the Cubs in 2022 slashing just .205/.286/.373 in 77 games. He showcased more power in the minors during the 2022 season, but going off of just last season in the bigs, the 23-year-old is not an everyday outfielder. Christopher Morel was an exciting rookie to watch in 2022 and he is one of the other outfielders listed on the Cubs 40-man. Even with his hot start as a rookie in 2022, Morel finished the season hitting just .235 and had a strikeout rate of 32.2%. According to Fangraphs, this was the second-worst mark on the team of players with more than 200 plate appearances behind only Patrick Wisdom.

Morel is also more of a utility man. Most of his time is spent in the outfield, but he did make some spot starts in the middle infield along with third base last season. That leaves the Cubs with two full-time outfielders in Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. They will need to add another and Arizona could be the place to find one.

The Chicago Cubs may have to trade for an outfielder this offseason

There are a few players the Diamondbacks probably will not move. Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll are two players the Diamondbacks would be crazy to trade. Kyle Lewis was just traded for, and he is the only right-handed bat in the outfield at the moment in Arizona, so I do not see them letting go of him either. That leaves Jake McCarthy, Daulton Varsho, and Pavin Smith. All three of these players could fit on the Cubs in their own way.

Arizona Diamondbacks v Houston Astros / Carmen Mandato/GettyImages

Cubs could turn to Diamondbacks for OF help

Pavin Smith had a solid 2021 season hitting .267 with a slugging percentage of .404. In that same season, Smith hit 11 home runs with 49 RBI and he added 27 doubles as well. 2022 was a little bit of a rough year for the former first-round draft pick. He played just 75 games on the major league club and slashed .220/.300/.367. In the process, he suffered a wrist injury that sidelined him as well. This could possibly make him the cheapest option. Smith played very well in 2021, and he performed well in his brief stint with the team in the 2020 shortened season. As the cheaper option, Smith could be a fit for a platoon spot on the Cubs or even fit in a DH role occasionally if he can return to 2021 form.

Daulton Varsho is an interesting candidate for the Cubs as well. He played in 151 games last season and launched 27 home runs with 74 RBI. He also stole 16 bases, so he has some speed. An intriguing factor about Varsho is his ability to catch. Varsho became more of an outfielder during the 2022 season and he acknowledges that in an article from AZ Central. Varsho says in the article his future is in the outfield, but he still can play the position of catcher. The Cubs will need to add a catcher after losing Contreras this offseason, and Varsho will not be that option, but he can fill in every once in a while if needed. His left-handed bat would fit in nicely in the cubs' lineup. He has the speed to play centerfield, and his power would pair nicely with the hitter-friendly Wrigley Field.

Jake McCarthy was drafted in 2018 and quickly made his way to the majors. He made his debut in 2021, and in 99 games in 2022, McCarthy put together a strong performance. He was able to surpass rookie limits in 2022 and played well enough to finish 4th in the rookie of the year voting. In his rookie campaign, McCarthy slashed .283/.342/.427 with 8 home runs and 43 RBI. McCarthy was also 23/26 in stolen bases during the year. The Diamondbacks are likely to be reluctant to trade McCarthy unless there is a good return, but he would be the everyday centerfielder for the Cubs should they make the trade.

Cincinnati Reds v Chicago Cubs / Jamie Sabau/GettyImages

What can the Cubs offer?

It was noted in an article by MLB Trade Rumors that the Diamondbacks' top priority this offseason should be fixing their bullpen issues. The Cubs have a few good bullpen arms that could entice the Diamondbacks. In a trade for someone like Pavin Smith, the Cubs may not need to give up one of their better arms. They can possibly get away with trading away Manuel Rodriguez, and a low-level prospect. Manuel Rodriguez had an okay year this past season, but his strikeout numbers are not where they should be, and he had some control issues in his 13.2 innings in 2022. With that said, he missed barrels in 2022, and the ultimate goal of a reliever is to just get the outs he is asked to get. Pairing him and maybe a catching prospect in Miguel Amaya (assuming the Cubs sign another catcher this offseason) could get the deal done.

Varsho and McCarthy will have higher price tags, and that could steer the Cubs away. Still, there is a deal to get done if the Cubs offer the right package. The Diamondbacks will need a catcher, it is just not at the top of their list right now. However, adding in a catching prospect would sweeten the deal. Miguel Amaya, in my opinion, is the prospect the Cubs would have to part ways with as he is closest to major league ready.

Here is where it gets tricky in Chicago. The Cubs' bullpen was not the best last year either, so trading away a top bullpen piece would not be the smartest move. However, it could be worth it should Varsho or McCarthy become the players they have the potential to be. Adbert Alzolay pitched out of the bullpen when he came back from injury in 2022. He is not someone the Cubs should want to part ways with, but at the same time, he could be the guy to get the deal done. He threw a bunch of strikes in his 13.1 innings striking out 19 batters and his fastball velocity was a little bit higher out of the bullpen.

They could pair a few relievers as well. Ethan Roberts and Rowan Wick come to mind. Roberts struggled on the big league club in Chicago last season, but his minor league stats are outstanding. He is a good arm, and if he can figure it out, would fill a need in Arizona. The Cubs were able to reach a 1 year deal with Wick last week, but he could be a strong trade candidate here. He has plenty of experience and pitched in different spots for the Cubs in 2022.

Next. Cody Bellinger only seeking a 1-year deal. dark

The Cubs have been linked to Cody Bellinger, Adam Engel, and Kevin Kiermaier, but the Diamondbacks have a plethora of talent in their outfield waiting for someone to trade with them. Cody Bellinger should be the Cubs' top Priority, but even if they sign Bellinger, they will still need a 4th outfielder to play when some of the other guys need rest, or if an injury occurs. The Cubs also have a spot they can fill at DH. Varsho, McCarthy, and Smith can all fill that DH spot as well. The Cubs want to be contenders again in 2023, trading for one of these outfielders would help them do that.

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