Chicago Cubs Trade Rumors: Dexter Fowler Placed On Waivers By Cubs, Team Seeks Trade

Chicago Cubs trade rumors confirm Dexter Fowler was placed on waivers. The Cubs seek a trade before the August 31 MLB deadline, likely including a starting pitcher to help bolster the rotation in September. A report from MLB analyst Bob Nightengale at USA Today reads, “The #Cubs still have not placed displaced SS Starlin Castro on waivers, but CF Dexter Fowler went through waivers, and cleared. [sic]” It may surprise fans that Fowler was placed on waivers, but even more so that Castro has not.

Fowler has played 115 games for the Cubs during the 2015 MLB season, posting a.252 batting average and.348 on-base percentage. He has 41 extra base hits, 79 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases to his name. Since being acquired from the Houston Astros during the MLB offseason, Fowler has become the full-time center fielder for the Cubs. He makes $9.5 million this year before becoming a free agent at the end of the regular season.

With very few options to play center field and hit leadoff, these Chicago Cubs trade rumors might seem quite peculiar. The team seems to be trying to hedge its bets by making Fowler available through waivers, but no teams have put in a claim for the eight-year veteran. That could be surprising in itself, as many times teams will claim players just to block another franchise from getting them. That didn’t happen with Fowler, which could indicate that some general managers don’t feel he is worth putting in the claim.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Cubs had been shopping Starlin Castro before the July 31 non-waiver MLB trade deadline. It showed that he could be expendable due to the depth the team has at shortstop. A move didn’t get made, but no reports of Castro being placed on waivers in August have surfaced. This indicates that either the team hasn’t been actively trying to trade him any longer, or that he did get placed on waivers and the information wasn’t leaked by an organization. Typically, the waiver process is pretty secretive, with the only notes to come out of it being leaked information.

It’s hard to envision what the Cubs would do with the current roster if Dexter Fowler got traded, but there are certainly a few players that could try to cover center field. As it stands, these latest Chicago Cubs trade rumors are still very puzzling, especially since the team just seems to be better when he is hitting leadoff and playing center. There are definitely a number of teams that could be improved through acquiring Fowler, but nothing appears imminent.

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