Cubs Exploring a Trade to Massively Boost Rotation
The Chicago Cubs have been very transparent about improving their pitching staff significantly through either free agency or trade. Whenever Theo Epstein or Jed Hoyer have been asked about how they were adding talent, they have given almost identical and similar responses.
“We need quality pitching,” Epstein said. “I’m not going to rule anything out or anything in, except to say whether it’s through trade or free agency, we’d like to add one quality pitcher this winter.”
While Jed addressed the need to impact their starting depth this offseason.
“We want to add at least one [major leaguer] but we do need to impact our starting pitching depth,” Hoyer. “We will look to add multiple starting pitchers at various levels of the organization. That’s the best way to say it.”
While the Cubs intend to impact their rotation, susggestions have indicated that teams will be more aggressive during their meetings in Boca Ranton, Fl. this week than they have in past seasons. Knowing teams will be more aggressive because of the names on the free agent market, there are real expectations that some trades happen before the week’s over.
The first indication we have of this is from a rumor that has continued to pick up steam, and WSCR-AM 670’s Julie DiCaro is now confirming rumors of the Cubs exploring a trade with the Cleveland Indians.
https://twitter.com/JulieDiCaro/status/663846101858938884
Here are each of the rumored Cleveland Indian players stats, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar.
Chicago Style Sports has covered this rumor in great detail (found in the Jason Heyward, Jordan Zimmermann, or Alex Gordon pieces) and makes a lot of sense for the Cubs. While some have argued against our recent articles, stating that the Cubs do not need to change a corner outfielder, they need pitching and a centerfielder, our point was to show fans that each move isn’t independent of the other and each signing could easily have a reciprocating counter move as well.
While a fan of Jorge Soler, he is still a relative unknown. He has potential to be a 35+ home run hitter, and drive in 100+ runs on an annual basis, but he also has the potential to be a career .240 hitter that misses 60 games a season while only hitting 15 home runs a season. At this stage in the early career of Soler, the Cubs can sell high to bring back a bigger loot, allowing the team to compete for many years down the line.
Stay tuned as there will certainly be more news coming out of the meetings this week.
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