The Chicago Cubs may look to trade for a starting pitcher after signing Jason Heyward and players like Jorge Soler and Javier Baez could be options to get moved. The Cubs have been connected with numerous pitchers on the trade market, including Tyson Ross, Carlos Carrasco, James Shields, Danny Salazar and Matt Moore.
The Cubs have a solid rotation already, but the team would like to add more depth and signing Heyward gives the team options if they want to make a trade. According to Jon Morosi at Fox Sports and Bob Nightengale at USA Today, the Cubs are looking to deal for a starting pitcher over signing one of the free agents on the market and players like Tyson Ross, Carrasco and Salazar have come up as potential options. Morosi writes that with Heyward able to play multiple positions in the outfield, the team will "keep fielding" offers on Soler.
While no deal is close to happening, Morosi reports that the Cubs have had discussions with the Indians and Padres about Ross, Carrasco and Salazar. The Cubs signed Heyward to a $184 million deal and while they could stand pat with the outfield options they have, numerous reports from USA Today, ESPN and Fox Sports have the team considering a trade to add starting pitching. The team has already added John Lackey as a free agent, but the Cubs would like more depth behind Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester.
Heyward was the second player to be signed by the Cubs from the Cardinals after Lackey and while those moves make Chicago a stronger team, it also made St. Louis weaker and that is welcome news for Chicago. The Cubs made it to the NLCS last season and some around baseball felt the team made their run a year too early, meaning this year could be even better for the Cubs and their young core. The team adds Heyward to a lineup that already includes Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber and the Cubs should continue to be a strong offensive team even if they trade some young players like Soler or Baez.
The Cubs also signed Ben Zobrist and that allowed the team to trade Starlin Castro to the Yankees for Adam Warren, adding another arm for depth. Zobrist is going to take over at second base and with Addison Russell now firmly planted at shortstop, it gave the Cubs the chance to move Castro without hurting the overall roster.
Many in the media see the Cubs as the team to beat in the national league after signing Heyward and more moves could still be coming for Chicago. The team has prospect depth and now outfield depth with the addition of Heyward and that could give the team the chance to get someone like Ross or Carrasco.
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