The Chicago Cubs already made one of the biggest splashes during Major League Baseball’s trade season, and they might not be done.
The Cubs have interest in Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish and have checked in about the pitcher’s potential availability, according to MLB.com.
And Darvish might not be the Cubs’ only deadline target, according to MLB.com’s Phil Rogers.
Chicago has struggled to stay above .500 for much of the season, but the defending World Series champions have started to play better in recent weeks. The Cubs acquired left-hander Jose Quintana from the White Sox last week and currently sit just one game back in the National League Central after a six-game winning streak paired with the Milwaukee Brewers’ five-game skid.
As for the Rangers, they look destined to be sellers at the deadline, which is a big reason why this deal — or any other deal including Darvish — could actually go down. The Rangers have lost five in a row and sit five games below .500, 18 games out of first place in the West and 4 1/2 back in the wild card.
Darvish has struggled to stay healthy at times throughout his big league career, most notably missing the entire 2015 season, but he’s having a very nice 2017 campaign. The 30-year-old is just 6-8, but that’s not an accurate reflection of how he’s pitched. The Japan native has 131 strikeouts in 125 1/3 innings and has been good for 3.3 wins above replacement, per Baseball-Reference.
The four-time All-Star likely would be a rental, as his contract expires after the 2017 season.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
