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The Cubs are scrapping their way through the season right now, currently 31-31, with a team that has struggled to find it’s identity beyond the reigning 2016 World Series Champions. Coming off a 6-4 home stand that saw the Cubs win the first five games, lose four-in-a-row, and salvage the final game, the Cubs are stumbling into a six-game road trip. In fact, the Cubs will play 15 of their final 18 games in June on the road, meaning the grinding is likely to continue through the remainder of the month.
With the inconsistent play, many people are pegging the Cubs to be major buyers at the deadline this season, as the team continues to be linked to pitchers like Sonny Gray and Chris Archer. However, while the pitching has been hot and cold all season, it could be easily argued that the Cubs most glaring issue is their lack of offense.
According to Fangraphs, the Cubs own the second worse team batting average at .233, while hovering around the middle of the pack in RBI, home runs, runs scored, and OBP – only the Twins walk more than the Cubs. And according to ESPN, the Cubs are the worst team in baseball when hitting with runners in scoring position, batting a meager .216, with only 20 of their 86 team home runs have come with runners in scoring position.
The Cubs are in need of another elite on-base presence on their roster, as Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are the only everyday players on the Cubs roster that have an average or better OBP. And answer could be current Miami Marlin OF Christian Yelich.
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The 25-year-old center fielder is having a slow start to this 2017 season, however he is still slashing .264/.341/.394 with seven home runs, 39 RBI, and an 9.8% walk rate. Yelich’s down season numbers on the Cubs are still good enough for him to be considered the 3rd or 4th best hitter in their lineup.
The former franchise player is reportedly on the block, along with essentially the entire Marlins team this season, according Chris Cotillo of SB Nation’s MLB Dish. I have also confirmed from a source that the Cubs have shown interest in Yelich, with my source saying that Yelich has been “mentioned as the type of player that would interest them.”
A source has informed me that the #Cubs are looking a potential CFs at the trade deadline and #Marlins Christian Yelich has been mentioned.
— Sean Sears (@sean_sears6) June 12, 2017
Of course, they are still looking for pitching, the #Cubs are concerned with the lack of production in the OF.
— Sean Sears (@sean_sears6) June 12, 2017
The Cubs have not directly said they are going after Yelich, just to be clear, but players in his mold are what they will be searching for at the deadline. This could mean Albert Almora’s days in Chicago are numbered, and I would have to assume Ian Happ would be included in any deal involving an OF or pitcher.
Expect Theo Epstein the Cubs front office to be major players for Yelich and other talents at the deadline.
