Key Cubs trade deadline questions: Is MacKenzie Gore a legitimate target? Eugenio Suárez?

Sports

add

The Chicago Cubs enter the final weeks of July expecting to monitor virtually every pitcher who might get traded this summer. Could they strike a deal before Thursday’s MLB trade deadline arrives?

To discuss the deadline and set up a crucial week for the club, Cubs beat writer Patrick Mooney hosted a live Q&A with The Athletic subscribers on Tuesday. Here are some questions that were answered during the chat.

For more trade deadline coverage, please read the full Q&A transcript, visit our Cubs section for the latest stories or check out our live blog for the latest news all week.

What type of package would land MacKenzie Gore? What are the odds of the Cubs acquiring him? — Gabi J.

The odds are low for just about any transaction to happen. The Cubs are interested in Gore. It’s unclear whether the Nationals would move him while an interim GM is in place. The potential package would likely have to involve major-league pieces and top prospects.

What kind of package would land Joe Ryan, and what are the odds of the Twins dealing him? — Jv

It’s a similar situation to what’s unfolding in Washington. The Minnesota franchise is up for sale, and the Twins are expected to be opportunistic.

Which SPs, who don’t cost Owen Caissie, could realistically move the needle to help the Cubs win this year? — Cameron Z.

No one is untouchable, but it’s difficult to imagine the Cubs trading Caissie for a rental player. The pitching staff has been stretched thin and now looks a little worn down. At this point, any reinforcements could help. The Cubs have a manager and a coaching staff with a good feel for handling pitchers, as well as a strong game-planning system and an elite defensive unit. Putting any of those aforementioned pitchers in this environment could work.

How do you think other teams view Caissie and Kevin Alcántara in terms of their value in a trade? I wouldn’t trade both of them for anything less than a Gore-type return, but Jim Bowden has insinuated in his proposed trades that they’ll both be needed to get SPs like Mitch Keller. — Chuck K.

At the moment, Caissie’s trade value appears to be significantly higher, in that he’s checked all the boxes at Triple A. He appears to be ready for a promotion right now, while Alcántara seems like a good prospect with upside for the future.

Much of the deadline conversation has been focused on the Cubs’ upper-level prospects, but are there lower-level prospects that you are hearing that seem like they would be included in a deal? — William L.

They’re not lower-level prospects anymore, but Jefferson Rojas and Jaxon Wiggins are at Double A and opening eyes. It’s doubtful that either one would be moved in a deal for a rental player, but the point is the Cubs have amassed a lot of depth in the farm system, which gives them the flexibility to explore many ideas.

If the Cubs were to acquire Eugenio Suárez, would they continue to look for bench depth with Matt Shaw moving to the bench? It feels like they could still use outfield depth. — Kyle R.

If the Cubs landed Suárez, it’s possible that Shaw would return to Iowa until the roster expands in September, so that he could get regular playing time at Triple A. You have to wait and see how the roster shakes out after all these anticipated moves. An injury could also disrupt the plans and create a different opportunity for Shaw, whose attitude, defensive growth and offensive improvements have been impressive.

How do Suárez’s home/road splits impact how potential trading partners view him at the deadline? Is there any concern that he cools down if he moves away from Chase Field? What would a realistic package from the Cubs look like for Suarez, and would it make the most sense for Arizona to bundle him with pitching? — Ryan L.

Historically, the price to acquire a rental hitter has been relatively low. As an example, look back at the Cubs’ sell-off at the 2021 trade deadline. However, the Diamondbacks can leverage a lot of interested teams, and Suárez, if healthy (he was hit by a pitch in the hand Monday night), is having an unreal season. Plus, as you mentioned, the Diamondbacks can get creative because they have several interesting arms.

The timing of the Jed Hoyer extension announcement before the trade deadline seemed intentional. What purpose do you think it served? — David H.

It takes one possible distraction off the table. The Cubs did something similar toward the end of the 2016 season, announcing Theo Epstein’s contract extension so his job status wouldn’t become a story during the playoffs.

(Photo of Gore: Matt Krohn / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

Share on

email

Previous

trending_flat

Luka Doncic sparks a debate after visiting Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees

Aaron Judge - English

Next

Haar-Show geht viral – Die schlimmsten Frisuren der Fußball-Stars

Avatar