This is a very different kind of offseason for the Chicago Cubs. While the team played in their third consecutive NLCS, they way in which the season and playoffs played out shouldn’t make anyone comfortable. Then add in Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, and Wade Davis are most likely leaving via free agency, things are a lot less confident in the Cubs offices this winter.
This is the exact reason the Cubs need to be aggressive this offseason. When being aggressive, no stone can be left unturned, and one such stone is Jason Heyward.
Jason has an incredibly difficult contract to trade, even if he were performing up to that deal. But back-to-back seasons in which he has struggled, and Jason’s deal looks to be a bust. Even if a team trades for him, and he performs as he was expected to when he signed the deal, there’s a crazy chance he could even opt out of the deal.
As much as an train wreck his deal has been (financially, I’m not going to discredit his Gold Glove defense or the rain delay speech or other intangibles he brings), there are teams that still see some value in the gifted right fielder. We have already heard some rumblings about a potential Heyward to Miami deal, and now the San Francisco Giants rumor continues to get rehashed.
MLB.com Baseball Reporter, Phil Rogers mentioned how the two teams might be interested in a “complicated” trade involving Heyward.
@Giants have interest in @Cubs' Jason Heyward, w/Jeff Samardzija and Mark Melancon to offer. Very complicated deal but not impossible.
— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) November 7, 2017
This is a very complicated swap, as Heyward is owed $134 million over the next six years. But the players coming back have a little baggage as well…
Mark Melancon signed a four-year deal with San Francisco worth $62 million just last offseason. Having been a shut down closer for much of his career, Mark had multiple arm injuries in 2017, found himself setting up for Sam Dyson, and ended the year with a subpar 4.50 ERA.
Jeff Samardzija has three years and nearly $60 million remaining on his deal. But he might not be a disappointment if he was dealt.
Jeff, who Cubs fans are very familiar with, has always had a “big game” type on mentality. Meaning, Jeff elevated his game when in a big game or playing for a good team. An example being his 2016 season, where he struggled in the first-half but when the Giants turned it on Jeff did so also.
Strangely, every player also has no trade clauses (Jeff can veto a deal to 22 teams). This is potentially the toughest hurdle to overcome. But not from either Giant player. Jeff would certainly accept a deal to Chicago, and if given an opportunity to close, Melancon would as well. The trick would be Jason Heyward…
Would Heyward waive the clause he earned to play in San Francisco? A park renowned for diminished offensive production? Maybe, if playing with his brother is attractive.
The Giants drafted Jason’s brother, Jacob Heyward, a center fielder who has had some mixed results in the Giants system. He does possess some power in a right-handed, smaller frame than his older brother.
It is very much a long shot for this deal to happen, and this far it is only chatter. The Giants don’t have a real shot at contending for a couple years, and would take a huge leap of faith for Jason to believe they can turn into one over the next couple seasons.
