Chicago Cubs slugger ranked among ESPN’s top trade deadline candidates

The Chicago Cubs are in crisis mode when it comes to pitching. Monday’s 8-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field further spotlighted that reality. In the ten-inning loss, starter Jameson Taillon got walloped for four runs in the first inning and, in the tenth inning, reliever Trent Thornton suffered an ugly heel contusion from a shot drilled at him by Riley Greene.

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The problem is that the trade market ahead of the upcoming August 3 MLB trade deadline looks extremely competitive as several teams thought to be sellers have turned things around and may end up being buyers (or standing pat).

The increased competition for the remaining available pitchers may put the Cubs in a tough situation where they have to get creative and pursue a mega-risky buyer-to-buyer deal with teams in a similar tough spot.

As a matter of fact, Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto recently stated his belief that the unusually tight market may pave the way for such trades between contending teams before the deadline.

Trading Suzuki?

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In an ESPN piece by Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan ranking possible trade deadline candidates, Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was listed as no. 24 among the top 100 tradeable assets.

Per McDaniel and Passan:

“Chicago wants to get creative to fill its pitching issues, and that means at least listening on Suzuki, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Considering the paucity of impact outfielders available, Chicago could try to take advantage of the market and lean into its depth with Michael Conforto and Kevin Alcantara.

At the same time, dealing a hitter of Suzuki’s caliber is potentially counterproductive. The Cubs want to win this season, and Suzuki can be a big part of that.”

A buyer-to-buyer trade deadline shocker

Not too long ago, the offense-hungry Mariners were actually linked to Suzuki and the Cubs via media trade proposal in a deal for starting pitcher Luis Castillo.

If the Cubs pulled that one off, they’d lose one of the driving forces behind their offense—who may be gone after this season anyway. But they’d gain the 33-year-old starter who, despite having a down year, might still be an upgrade over everyone other than Matthew Boyd currently in the rotation. Plus, they’d have him under contract for next season as well.

There are other teams that could be in the mix for Suzuki if the Cubs were inclined to move him—and if Suzuki was inclined to wave his no trade clause to be moved. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees have been mentioned as possible fits.

Suzuki is currently slashing .273/.357/.476 with 16 home runs, 50 RBIs and an OPS of .834. The Japanese star right fielder has been one of the more consistent producers on the team since coming aboard in 2022 on a 5-year, $85 million contract.

Admittedly, a buyer-to-buyer trade like this doesn’t sound like the kind of gamble Jed Hoyer and the Cubs would ever make. But you just never know how much internal hunger there is to win right now.

As always, time will tell.

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