The Cubs are after pitching this deadline season, and I’m sure this won’t be the last time I write that this season. But with the pitching staff hinging on two struggling veterans in Jake Arrieta and John Lackey, along with Kyle Hendricks currently on the 10-day DL, the Cubs essentially have one reliable pitcher in Jon Lester.
Clearly, that is a massive issue for a club that has hopes of playing this fall. Thankfully, the Cubs not only have options via trade, they arguably are the best suited team to make waves this deadline thanks to a well-stocked farm system and a talented MLB roster. However, just because the Cubs can make moves to land the top trade pieces this summer, doesn’t mean that deal is 100% at slam-dunk deal.
Names like Sonny Gray and Chris Archer would be great fits on this Cubs roster for not only 2017 but for the next few years, as both pitchers are under team control for multiple seasons. However, the asking price for both of those arms is reportedly steep, according Jeff Passan, a baseball writer for Yahoo Sports.
Passan was on 670 the Score earlier Monday morning and had this to say when asked about the Cubs trading for Tampa Bay’s Archer.
.@JeffPassan: #Cubs have had talks w/ Rays in past regarding Chris Archer. He's a logical fit, but Cubs would have to part w/ Eloy Jimenez.
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) June 19, 2017
Losing a talent like Eloy Jimenez, while potentially worth obtaining a pitcher like Archer, is exceedingly hard to deal as Jimenez has been pegged to become the No. 1 prospect later this year. The Cubs top prospect has been battling a a shoulder injury and more recently a hamstring, but besides those to hiccups Jimenez has looked the part of an elite prospect.
In 27 games for the Cubs high A Myrtle Beach club, Jimenez is slashing .280/.385/.527 with six home runs and a 13.8% walk rate. He’s another glowing example of what Theo Epstein strives for in his players, patient batters who find ways to consistently get on base.
Personally, losing a player like Jimenez would be crushing since Eloy is easily one of my favorite prospects to come through the Cubs system in a long time (excluding guys like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber). But dealing Jimenez in this deal to acquire an arm like the 28-year-old Archer, who could be under team control through 2021, is exactly the type of deal you would consider moving your top prospect for.
Even though Archer had a somewhat down year in 2016, he is off to a great start this season, with a 3.75 ERA and a career-high 11.17 K/9, Archer would be a much needed addition to the Cubs rotation for 2017 and further. And if it costs the Cubs Jimenez, while I don’t want to see the 20-year-old elite-outfielder go, it’s hard to fault the Cubs for making this move.
Expect these summer trade rumors to heat up for the Cubs.
