As the Chicago Cubs head toward the MLB trade deadline, there are quite a few questions that they must answer. First of all, they will have to decide what the biggest flaw on their roster is at this point in time. They will also have to decide how they want to try to plug that hole.
Most believe that the Cubs are going to need more help in the starting rotation. Yu Darvish has been injured for most of the season and Chicago has seen Tyler Chatwood struggle. That could lead Theo Epstein to consider making a trade for a top-notch pitcher.
As noted by Cubs Insider , Chicago could look into acquiring a big name like Jacob deGrom from the New York Mets. He has been rumored to be on the block for the right price and would immediately bolster the Cubs’ rotation.
“When it comes to controllable top-of-the-rotation starters, deGrom is at the top of the list. There’s still a question of whether the Mets would actually trade him and, if they did, whether the Cubs would have enough to land him. But as Bruce Levine wrote, both Russell and Ian Happ would be in play for the righty with two more years under contract after this one.”
Throughout the course of the 2018 MLB season thus far, deGrom has put together another impressive season. He has a 5-4 record to go along with a 1.68 ERA. At 30-years-old, the Cubs would be getting an ace-caliber pitcher for this season, as well as two more years past this year.
B/R’s 2018 Midseason MLB Awards ?
AL ROY: Gleyber Torres, NYY NL ROY: Brian Anderson, MIA
AL Cy Young: Chris Sale, BOS NY Cy Young: Jacob deGrom, NYM
AL + NL MVP: https://t.co/HbWDAMpXjw pic.twitter.com/veEjEiprJV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 16, 2018
Epstein has always seemingly been more interested in players that the team can control for more than one season. He has not been a fan of acquiring rental players. Fans can understand that after seeing the price that the Cubs gave up for Aroldis Chapman just to see him get frustrated with the team and head back to the team that they acquired him from originally.
There is a chance that the Cubs could end up standing pat at the deadline. They did finish the first half of the season with a 55-38 record, which has them atop the National League Central division and also atop the National League standings overall.
While they could use another starter, there is no reason to think that they can’t compete if they don’t acquire one.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what Epstein and company decide to do this year. deGrom would make a lot of sense for the Cubs, but he won’t come cheap. There are other options as well, but deGrom is one of the most intriguing names being brought up as a potential Cubs’ trade target.
