The trade winds could be blowing toward the Windy City.
The Chicago Cubs, who own the best record in baseball, are “interested” in bolstering their bullpen before next month’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, according to MLB.com’s Phil Rogers, who suggests that Theo Epstein’s club could put together a package good enough to persuade the New York Yankees to part with closer Aroldis Chapman, reliever Andrew Miller, or both.
From MLB.com:
“Yes, the rumors are true. The Chicago Cubs are very interested in upgrading their bullpen for the postseason run they see in their future, and they are as well positioned as anyone to persuade the New York Yankees to part with Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman.
Or how about this? Both Miller and Chapman, in the same deal.
Yes, Miller and Chapman in the same deal. I’d guarantee you that the Cubs will at least explore that, assuming the Yankees get to the point where they are willing to make them available.
That’s how motivated Tom Ricketts and Theo Epstein are to follow a potentially historic regular season with the Cubs’ first championship since 1908. Joe Maddon has the Cubs on pace to win 112 games, but this week’s series in Washington shows just how perilous October will be for every National League team, including the winningest.”
Adding Chapman and/or Miller to an already formidable bullpen could mean lights out for the rest of the National League, despite some very good competition from the likes of the Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.
But it might take a more-than-healthy offer to lure either player from the Yankees, who traded for Chapman last offseason and have Miller signed through 2018. It only gets harder if they believe they still are contenders in 2016.
While the Yankees essentially are renting Chapman this season, they did give up two top-10 prospects to acquire him. Miller will be worth more considering the length remaining on his contract.
Thumbnail photo via Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports Images
