OH BABY! Let the fireworks begin.
A few weeks ago we discussed the possibility of a Jason Heyward trade to the San Francisco Giants, as White Sox Dave, a Barstool Sports writer, who has broken MLB news before, reported that the Chicago Cubs and Giants had been talking about a potential deal involving Heyward. That same day ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan also threw out Heyward and the Giants as a trade the Cubs could be looking into.
This Jason Heyward Trade Rumor Is Amazing And I Hope It Comes True
Well, now there’s a third source reporting that there is interest coming from the Giants side. MLB columnist and former reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Phil Rogers, reported the following.
@Giants have interest in @Cubs' Jason Heyward, w/Jeff Samardzija and Mark Melancon to offer. Very complicated deal but not impossible.
— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) November 7, 2017
The two pitchers, Jeff Samardzija and Mark Melancon, were also mentioned as trade pieces that could be going to the Cubs in a trade with the Giants by White Sox Dave. That was on Oct. 27.
Hearing the Cubs and Giants have to some degree discussed a Heyward for Samardzija/Melancon trade FWIW #ScoopCity
— whitesoxdave (@barstoolWSD) October 27, 2017
Rogers says a deal isn’t impossible, but there are several hurdles to jump over. Samardzija and Melancon both have no-trade clauses and so does Heyward. The Cubs outfielder also has a giant contract left, so it makes sense the team wants to unload some of that money, as they have pitching needs and could be setting up for even bigger moves.
One additional motivation to deal Heyward: Would improve @Cubs position in recruiting Shohei Ohtani. He and Heyward both hit left-handed.
— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) November 7, 2017
However, in any trade it seems from an outside perspective that the Cubs would have to eat some of the money, so it’s not like they’d be clear of the six years left on Heyward’s contract that was signed for $184 million.
But once again, of course the Cubs would love to make this deal. With Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis expected to decline their qualifying offers, the Cubs have to replace at least one starting pitcher and their closer position. Melancon has three years left on his deal, worth $47 million. Davis is projected to get a four-year contract for about $60 million. Meanwhile, despite Samardzija’s high ERA in 2017, his other numbers show that he was doomed by the team around him and actually ranked well in several areas.
Jeff Samardzija's 2017 season:
3.8 fWAR – 15th in MLB
3.60 xFIP – 16th in MLB
3.61 FIP – 13th in MLBhttps://t.co/rZ7H107y00— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) October 27, 2017
You’d take that for what would essentially be the fourth starter in the Cubs rotation. Samardzija’s deal has three years left at $59.4 million. If you remember back to the 2015 offseason, the Cubs were interested in signing him before getting John Lackey on a two-year contract.
The Cubs won a World Series with Heyward, but obviously he hasn’t been the player they thought they were getting when he signed the biggest contract in franchise history. It’s apparent now that the Cubs are trying to make up for the mistake, as 670 The Score’s Dan Bernstein also reported that the Cubs were looking to trade Heyward this offseason on Monday.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire and the hot stove is scorching right now.
