Everyone is paying way too much attention to David Bote being one of the three players that the Toronto Blue Jays have been looking at. The Chicago Cubs aren’t trading Bote away for J.A. Happ, but if the price is outfielder Mark Zagunis and pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng, then they shouldn’t think twice about making the deal.
In case you missed it, the Cubs have reportedly shown interest in Toronto’s only all-star this year, J.A. Happ.
Hearing Chicago Cubs may have interest in LHP JA Happ @Jays
— bob elliott (@elliottbaseball) July 8, 2018
You know the story by now, the Cubs want pitching depth as much as any competing team in the league.
Naturally fans try to come up with a trade package, but really all we’re doing is guessing. However, Iowa Cubs beat reporter Tommy Birch provided us with this little nugget.
It turns out that the Blue Jays have been looking at a few Cubs players, so this Happ link could be serious. Anyway, those three players are David Bote, Mark Zagunis and Jen-Ho Tseng.
Hearing Zagunis, Tseng and Bote have been guys Blue Jays have looked at in Iowa. https://t.co/9v6IQsuMm7
— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) July 9, 2018
Again, the Cubs are not trading Bote. He’s the perfect replacement for Ben Zobrist after his contract is up.
Anyway, Zagunis is a 25-year-old outfielder who was drafted in the third round by the Cubs in 2014. He made his MLB debut in 2017, playing in seven games for the Cubs and was briefly up this year too. He’s a great OBP guy, up to .391 at Triple-A this season in 75 games, but the Cubs are loaded in the outfield.
If he’s who the Blue Jays want, do it. Just can’t deal with another Tyler Chatwood start at this point.
And hey, if the Cubs want to sweeten the pot, add Tseng. He’s been brutal in 2018, but he’s coming off a season in which he won the Cubs minor league pitcher of the year award.
Again, if it’s Bote, you pass, and I know that sounds ridiculous for a guy who’s played in 17 games for the Cubs this season, primarily as a backup, but he’s showing everyone something. His game plays at this level and the Cubs certainly won’t be giving him up for a rental like Happ.
But the other two guys? Make that deal every day of the week.
Of course, this is assuming the Blue Jays really like Zagunis and Tseng.
