Luis Arraez trade opens the door for the Cubs to trade for young Marlins arms

AJ Preller is at it again, luring two-time batting champ Luis Arraez away from the Marlins in exchange for a package of prospect and reliever Woo-Suk Go. Why are we talking about this at a Chicago Cubs blog? Simple: the move tells us now is the time for Jed Hoyer to pounce and bolster the pitching staff via a trade with Miami.

“We’re very disappointed,” Marlins president of baseball ops Peter Bendix told reporters. “I know the players are very disappointed. Everybody here is very disappointed about that. But it is also something that we can’t change right now.”

It was just a year and change ago that the Marlins traded for Arraez, sending Pablo Lopez to Minnesota in the deal. Lopez earned the first All-Star selection of his career and finished 7th in AL Cy Young voting in 2023 so that, paired with Arraez getting moved, isn't sitting well with fans in South Beach.

Cubs need to pick up the phone and check in with the Marlins ASAP

But, like I said, this could bode well for the Cubs. The Marlins are swimming in young arms and, even if Chicago doesn't want to push in all its chips on one of the biggest names, adding a reliever like Tanner Scott could help solidify the bullpen mix early on in the year. AJ Puk could add some firepower to Craig Counsell's pen, too.

The return in the Arraez deal didn't feel especially overwhelming, with more of a quantity-based approach on the part of the Marlins front office. That could bode well for Hoyer, who could grab an arm or two using the Cubs' impressive prospect depth, rather than move one of his blue-chip talents for a headliner.

A major trade in May is rare, but not unheard of. Hoyer has expressed a willingness to make moves well ahead of the deadline and Bendix has a track record of doing the same. So while there's nothing official out there, it makes sense that the Marlins and Cubs could chat sooner rather than later.