It’s MLB trade rumor season, with the August 1 deadline barreling down upon us. For teams like the Chicago Cubs, who are fading fast, and now sit 8.5 games out of first place in the NL Central, that likely means parting with veteran players for prospects in an attempt to bounce back next season.
Of course this isn’t anywhere near where the Cubs thought they’d be in the middle of July with a payroll that ranks 13th in MLB. But that also means this is a roster full of players who have flashed some ability at some point in their MLB careers, even if they’re not hot right now.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Cubs could have a “very good sale” ahead of the trade deadline. One name to keep an eye on is starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who has the ability to opt out of his contract this offseason. Trading him now gives the Cubs a chance to boost their farm system instead of risk losing Stroman in free agency.
Another name Heyman mentioned was Cody Bellinger, who’s batting .305 with 12 home runs this season. Other names who came up included Yan Gomes and various pitchers not named Justin Steele.
Whether the Cubs go all-out and pursue a firesaleC or just part with a few parts they deem expendable remains to be seen. But either way, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Cubs start shopping some of their trade chips to the highest bidder barring a big turnaround in the next two weeks.
Related: 2023 MLB power rankings: Phillies rise again, evaluating every team at All-Star Break