While conversations between Detroit and Chicago had ceased as this weekend started, the two clubs have picked back up where they left off today. With a little more than a day left before the trade deadline, the Cubs are once again looking active as ever.
And while their talks with Oakland for Sonny Gray are still on-going, the team is also trying to add a veteran back-up catcher, and Alex Avila looks like the next man of the hour.
Source: #Tigers, #Cubs have ongoing discussions regarding Alex Avila.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 30, 2017
While Avila is attractive to the Cubs, slashing .271/.392/.472, he is not the big name from the Tigers that most Cubs fans were hoping to land earlier this week. That being said, Avila is easily the best offensive option on the catcher market, and comes with playoff experience.
While his defensive numbers may not be compared to an A.J.Ellis, who is also been rumored to the Cubs, he 30-year-old Avila has still thrown out 30% of would be base runners this season and has one defensive run saved according to Fangraphs.
Avila may not be one of the big names fans, and the Cubs for that matter, would want to add at the deadline. But for team that has already acquired Jose Quintana, adding Avila for a modest price could be the final touch to a surging Cubs team looking defend it’s title.
