It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the Chicago Cubs are going to be sellers this year at the deadline. The Cubbies are 14.5 games out of first place and the three teams ahead of them in the NL Central are three of the best teams in the league right now. There have also been rumors about future of starting pitcher Matt Garza that have been constantly circling since last season’s trade deadline. Well, now Garza is healthy and teams are taking notice, and they’re taking notice of a few other players on the Cubbies as well.
Starting Pitcher - Matt Garza
Garza is finally healthy, and the trade talks for him have begun again. It does not hurt that he has been pitching well since his return to health. In eight starts since he has returned, Garza has a 3.83 ERA and a 3-1 record to show for it. Garza has been very consistent in his time in the MLB with a career ERA of 3.84 and when healthy he can help any team he is on. Which is why teams are looking at Garza to shore up their starting rotations. According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Padres and Dodgers are looking at Garza. Now that the Dodgers are starting to climb out of the basement of the NL West, they seem like the obvious choice. They have lost starting pitchers like socks in the dryer this season, and teaming up Garza with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu could be just what the Dodgers need to shoot up the standings.
The Padres, though, have more pieces to trade than the Dodgers and could steal Garza away from their big spending rivals. The Padres are currently 19th in the league in ERA and could benefit from the addition of Garza. It would be a surprise if the Padres are the ones that end up with Garza, as he is not under contract next season and they would receive no compensation if he signs with a different team in the offseason. Other teams that could be interested are pretty much any team that is in contention as every team can always use a quality starting pitcher. Expect the Giants and Angels to also be linked to Garza, but neither team has enough big prospects left that the Cubs would want for Garza. The Cubs will not let Garza go cheap, they are rebuilding and will be looking for a good haul.
Closer - Kevin Gregg
Gregg has come out of nowhere to take over the Cubs’ closer role after Carlos Marmol and Kyuji Fujikawa failed to hold down the role. This is not the first time Gregg came to the Cubs and closed games for them, but it is certainly the most surprising. Gregg did not save a single game last season, and has never had as well as he’s had so far this season, 1.42 in 25.1 innings. The huge dip in ERA has caused other teams to take notice. The biggest team in need of bullpen help is the Atlanta Braves. Braves Manager Freddi Gonzalez has ties to Gregg from when he was the Marlins’ closer while Gonzalez was manager. Gregg could be a much needed piece for the Braves and their banged up bullpen, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. While Atlanta is currently the only team linked to Gregg, there are plenty of teams who could be in need of a guy like Gregg who can set up or close games. I would expect his name linked to the Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox and the Angels if they continue to surge.
Other players on the Cubbies that could be on the move are outfielders David DeJesus, Nate Schierholtz and Alfonso Soriano. Of the three, Soriano would be the hardest to move because of his contract and dramatic decrease in production over the last few years. DeJesus is having a decent year and Schierholtz is having a career year. The Giants are in dire need of offensive outfield help with Angel Pagan likely done for the year. Dioner Navarro could be on the move as well if the Cubs decide to let him go. Navarro, much like Schierholtz, is having a career year and could really help a contending team rest their everyday catcher down the stretch run. Navarro could also even step in and start for a team like the Angels. Last, but not least, is James Russell. Many teams who need bullpen help will be calling about Russell, but the Cubs are currently saying the Russell is not on the trade block.
The Cubbies have a strong young nucleus to build off of in the future, but for right now, they’re going to be the biggest sellers of the season. It is just a matter of who and when they will make a trade, not if they will make a trade.