Report: Alfonso Soriano Could Be Traded, Cubs May Be Willing to Eat Salary

Sitting at 21 games under .500, the Chicago Cubs are currently floundering in fifth place in the NL Central, 13 1/2 games out of first. With little chance to catch division-leading Milwaukee and Pittsburgh (yes, Pittsburgh), don’t be surprised if some big name Cubbies find new homes by the end of the month.

Among these big names is left fielder Alfonso Soriano, whom ESPN.com’s Bruce Levine reports Chicago may be willing to deal, despite the $60 million still remaining on his contract. The Cubs would be willing to pay “a high percentage” of that money for the right deal, according to the report.

Soriano has a no-trade clause built into the eight-year, $136 million contract he signed back in 2006, but has previously stated that he would “most likely” agree to a trade if one is proposed to him.

A seven-time All-Star (in consecutive seasons from 2002-08), the 35-year-old’s stats have taken a hit the past few seasons in Chicago. As of Friday, Soriano was batting .249 with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs over 82 games.

Arguably his best stretch came between 2005-07, when he set career highs for RBIs (104 in ’05 with Texas), home runs (46 in ’06 with Washington) and batting average (.299 in ’07 with Chicago) in consecutive seasons. Soriano also became the fourth player ever to record 40 home runs and 40 steals in one season, coupling his 46 home runs in ’06 with 41 stolen bases.

Soriano has lost a step as his career has progressed, but may be an attractive option as a designated hitter for an American League team, Levine reports.

The non-waiver trade deadline is July 31.