Blue Jays: Rebuilding Cubs have several worthy trade targets

With the Cubs trading Yu Darvish and signalling a rebuild, the Blue Jays would be wise to call about at least a handful of their solid veterans.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know that I’ve been talking about how I hoped the Blue Jays would pursue Yu Darvish should he become available this offseason. Unfortunately the Padres beat them to the punch for the veteran right-hander, pulling off a big trade to bolster their rotation for the second day in a row.

That said, even in disappointment there could be some good news to look at here.

It would appear that Cubs are about to embark on a rebuild, at least that’s what trading someone like Darvish should tell us. That’s especially the case because they didn’t even receive a premium return for the 2nd place finisher in 2020’s NL Cy Young race. If it was about clearing money from the books and kickstarting a true rebuild for the Cubs, there may be several worthy trade targets for the Blue Jays to look at.

We already know that Ross Atkins and the front office have cast a wide net this offseason, but as expected it would appear that market is evolving, such as the situation with the Cubs. There will be other interested parties, which is why the Blue Jays need to assess the situation sooner than later, especially if the Cubs are motivated to sell.

Assuming that’s the case, let’s have a look at five different Cubs that would fit the Blue Jays’ needs this offseason, and ultimately help them reach their goals to improve the roster this winter.

An answer at third base

I’ve written about the idea of trading for Kris Bryant before, and I still don’t think it’s a bad idea. That said, it all comes down to cost.

If the Cubs are more or less looking to get Bryant’s contract off their books for 2021, it might be a situation that makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately he’ll be a free agent at the end of the 2021 season, and he’s going to be well paid next year, even coming off a lacklustre campaign by his standards. He should have the injuries he dealt with behind him, and I think there’s a great chance of Bryant posting a bounce-back season. If that’s the case, he’ll be well worth the estimated 18.6 million he’ll receive in 2021, and the Blue Jays can afford to fit him in their payroll comfortably.

He’d work great as the needed solution at third base for the Blue Jays, which would allow Bo Bichette to continue as the shortstop, and Cavan Biggio to remain at second. Bryant also has the added flexibility of being a more than capable corner outfielder, which could certainly come in handy, especially since the Blue Jays value versatility so much. He still has youth on his side as well, as he only turns 29 in January.

Bryant would be a bit of a gamble, both after his down year in 2020, and because of his impending free agency, but the acquisition cost could make that pretty easy to stomach. I don’t expect that the Cubs will be looking for a lot more than salary relief, especially after seeing what they accepted for Yu Darvish. If that’s the case, I think Bryant would be a savvy roll of the dice, and if things work out then the Blue Jays have a year to show him why he should sign an extension to stick around.

At the start of the offseason I wasn’t so sure about the idea of pursuing Bryant, but after the latest developments with the Cubs, it might make a lot more sense.

Another star infield option?

If the Blue Jays are serious about potentially trading for Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor, I’m willing to bet they’ve also discussed the idea of offering on Javier Baez.

I’m really not sure if the Cubs would make him available or not, especially because they’ve talked about extending him before. However, I don’t know that trading someone like Darvish was in the plans until recently either, so things could have changed with Baez as well.

Like Bryant, Baez had a down year in 2020, but would also represent a prime bounce-back candidate at the age of 28. He’s still smack dab in the middle of his prime, and I expect that he’ll return to an All-Star level in 2021. He’s a 2x All-Star and finished 2nd in NL MVP voting in 2018, and you could argue that he’s a legitimate five-tool threat, especially with his cannon for an arm at shortstop.

The downside is the same as the Lindor situation, as Baez is only under contract for one more year before he’ll hit free agency. Spotrac.com has him down for a bargain of 11 million next season, and I fully expect that he’ll more than earn his keep. I also don’t love that he has a career on-base percentage of .304, but he’s still proven to be an offensive threat.

Would that work in Toronto? Baez does have plenty of experience playing at both second and third base, but it’s hard to imagine the Blue Jays trading for him and not installing him at his preferred position. I have mixed feelings about the idea of displacing Bichette from shortstop, and previously felt that it was only a good idea if the Blue Jays were acquiring Lindor, or maybe Trevor Story. However, if Baez hits the trade market, he might be a third name to add to that list.

What we’ve been waiting for in centre field?

Despite the fact that the Blue Jays have a full outfield trio with Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernandez, and Randal Grichuk, we’ve heard an awful lot about upgrades this offseason.

The biggest reason for that is the fact that George Springer is a free agent, and one who has been linked to the Blue Jays fairly frequently. However, Springer has several suitors and is largely expected to sign with the Mets, so the Blue Jays need a Plan B if they want to improve the outfield.

Enter Ian Happ, who has just the type of versatility that the Blue Jays fall in love with. He’s spent plenty of time as an infielder throughout his career, but he played 56 games in the outfield in 2020, including 51 in centre field. He’s not a defensive wizard by any means, but he’s likely on par with what Springer would bring to the table, and definitely an upgrade over Grichuk’s glove work. Happ also had a nice season at the plate this year, slashing .258/.361/.505 with 12 home runs, 11 doubles, and 28 RBI, good for 1.4 bWAR.

Spotrac.com has the switch-hitter slated for a salary of 3.5 million in 2021, with two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he’ll be a free agent. That will likely increase the Cubs’ ask in any trade discussions, and rightfully so. That said, he’s not a star on the level that Bryant or Baez have been, so the Cubs can’t ask for the moon either.

If the Blue Jays are unsuccessful in their pursuit of Springer, someone like Happ might be a great second option to improve the outfield. He’ll cost a few decent prospects if the Cubs are willing to trade him, but it’s an idea to keep in mind.

Last but not least, the other Cubbie ace

It remains to be seen just how far the Cubs are going to go with rebuilding their roster. If they choose to tear things down to the studs, then the Blue Jays should be all-in on chasing Kyle Hendricks.

The 31-year-old has been a steady ace in Chicago for the better part of seven years, posting a career record of 69-48 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.105 WHIP. Oddly enough he’s never been an All-Star, but he finished as high as third in NL Cy Young voting in 2016, and he continues to pitch at an elite level. During the shortened 2020 season, Hendricks had a 2.88 ERA and a 0.996 WHIP across 12 starts an 81.1 innings.

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The Cubs may choose to keep Hendricks for a variety of reasons. He’s still an ace calibre performer, and he’s under contract for four more years at an affordable rate. He’ll receive 14 million per season from 2021-23, and then the Cubs hold a club option for 2024 at 16 million, which is a bargain for a pitcher of his ilk.

Because he’s young and cheaper than Darvish, and with an extra year of contract control, I can’t imagine the Cubs will trade him unless they get what they view as a fair return. The good news is the Blue Jays have an elite farm system, and several worthy prospects that could catch the Cubs’ attention. They could also dangle someone like Lourdes Gurriel Jr., whose name has come up several times on the rumour mill this winter.

As I’ve said many times, we don’t yet know how far the Cubs will take their latest rebuild, and if they’ll even consider trading Hendricks. However, if they’re open to the idea, then the veteran could be an excellent solution to the Blue Jays’ need in the rotation. His skill set as a finesse pitcher should age well as he enters his thirties, and he’s a good bet to maintain his value through the four years remaining on his contract. He also has some playoff success on his resume, and that experience could come in handy over the next few years.

Things have certainly gotten a lot more interesting with the MLB hot stove over the last few days, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that continued this week. Hopefully the Blue Jays can jump into the mix, and if the Cubs are ready to sell Yu Darvish for a bargain deal, Atkins would be wise to call about these five players, and probably a few more too.