While the Chicago Cubs put together an impressive streak over the past week, it all came crashing down on Saturday when they dropped both ends of a double-header against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Just like that, the hard work they’ve been putting in suffered a massive setback.
Due to the two losses in a sinle day, the Cubs dropped to 46-51. They’re still very much in the postseason, but they missed a massive opportunity to move further up in the standings. Unfortunately, that also complicates their situation ahead of the trade deadline.
Jed Hoyer will have to make a determination over the next couple of weeks. Is Chicago good enough to compete this season? Or, should it sell off some talent and re-took for next year?
That is a question that no one truly knows the answer to at this point in time.
Should they choose to buy at the deadline and try to improve the roster, the Cubs could use some help in the bullpen, an upgrade at catcher, and possibly even a big bat elsewhere in the lineup.
Once again, Chicago has been linked to a potential trade for an All-Star catcher. That catcher is Colorado Rockies star Elias Diaz.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic was the most recent reporter to connect Chicago to Diaz.
“They know if they acquire a better offensive catcher, they could be formidable as they do have starting pitching that’s capable of running the table in October. They’ve been linked with the Rockies in a possible deal for catcher Elias Díaz.”
Diaz would be a great addition for the Cubs. He would bring a strong bat to the lineup and could be the missing piece that takes the offense to the next level.
During the 2024 season thus far, Diaz has played in 67 games, batting .286/.330/.403 to go along with five home runs and 30 RBI.
Clearly, he’s been productive at the plate and would be an upgrade over what Chicago is currently working with. Neither Miguel Amaya or Tomas Nido have any kind of talent at the plate.
The 33-year-old catcher is one trade option for the Cubs. He is in the final year of his contract, which could mean that he’d be a half-season rental. Ideally, if Chicago acquires him, they could get a new deal done with him.
Expect to hear a ton of rumors about the Cubs in the coming days. They still need to figure out if they’re going to buy or sell, but Diaz is certainly a name that would make sense as a trade target.
Source link : https://www.si.com/mlb/cubs/news/chicago-cubs-again-linked-to-trade-for-all-star-catcher-evan9
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Publish date : 2024-07-14 16:00:00
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