See, everything about this makes no sense at all, but I still love it even after considering all the factors that go into the Chicago Cubs possibly trading for Adrian Beltre.
According to Jon Heyman, Beltre may waive his no-trade clause if the team looking to make a deal for the veteran third baseman is the Cubs.
The big question here is not whether he’d clear waivers (he will), but whether he’d approve a trade. He still would bring great skill for someone his age and tremendous leadership to any acquiring team, but as a 10-5 player, it’s up to him whether he’d go or not, and it’s well known he’d like to re-sign next year with the Rangers, the team he’ll represent in the Hall of Fame. While it was thought he’d be unlikely to accept a trade to the Braves, the chances are believed better that he’d approve either the Cubs or his old Red Sox team, whose respective third basemen Kris Bryant and Rafael Devers have battled injuries (Bryant is still out and Devers just returned Wednesday).
(Jon Heyman)
Sign me up!
OK, OK, I know what you’re thinking, the Cubs already have David Bote doing a great job of filling in for Kris Bryant, but still why wouldn’t you love to add Adrian Beltre to the clubhouse. He’d fit in right away and he’ll already have several ex-teammates to pal around with and immediately feel welcomed.
Plus, Beltre can still hit a bit, coming in with a .280 batting average through 81 games. Stop, don’t bring up the .390 slugging. Yeah, obviously Beltre isn’t the great player he once was.
Seriously though, a trade for Beltre would cost almost nothing to the Cubs and I’m sure they’ll figure out the money to stay below the luxury tax. And yeah someone, most likely Bote, would have to go down to the minors until rosters expand in September, but at the very least Beltre gives you another guy just in case Bryant doesn’t come back 100 percent or the shoulder injury never fully goes away this year?
Anyway, none of this really matters because the Brewers can just claim Beltre off waivers right now and block the Cubs from getting to him.
For everything you need to know about how trades can still happen in August, read this. All the info you need.
