With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Chicago Cubs have shown that they are going to be sellers, with their first move being a trade of Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves. Craig Kimbrel and Kris Bryant are two other names that have been thrown around in trade rumors.
Will Kimbrel Be Traded?
The Cubs sit 9 games back in both the wild card and their division race. They have looked far from special this season and have some valuable trade assets. I would be surprised to see Kimbrel remain with the Cubs past this week’s trade deadline. There are a lot of teams in contention who could use Kimbrel’s help.
Kimbrel holds just a .51 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. With Kimbrel having such a successful year, there will be lots of teams gunning for him to bolster their bullpen before the playoffs.
Where Will Kimbrel End Up?
I could see Kimbrel ending up in Houston. The Astros already have Ryan Pressly, who is having a great season, but you can never get enough help in the bullpen. Early in his career, Pressly was not a closer; he was more of a middle reliever averaging more innings pitched than appearances in his first 6 big league seasons. I could see the Houston Astros grabbing him and moving Pressly to a setup spot.
Craig Kimbrel (in picture) and Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs are two names that have been thrown around constantly in trade rumors.Will Bryant Be Traded?
Yes. There is about a 0% chance that Kris Bryant remains in Chicago. After this season, Bryant will become an unrestricted free agent. Bryant is returning to MVP form with 16 home runs and 48 RBIs. Bryant is extremely valuable because he can play just about anywhere on the field.
Where Will Bryant End Up?
I could see Bryant ending up anywhere. He is so valuable with the countless positions he can play and also having such a great bat.
Steve Cohen has stated numerous times that the New York Mets are going to be aggressive in free agency. I would not be surprised to see Bryant end up in New York with the Mets currently leading the division.
Another possibility is San Francisco. Nobody has been talking about the Giants even though they currently have the best record in baseball. Even with the best record in baseball, this lineup can use some improvement. They sit just 11th in batting average and strike out the 7th most in the majors. Bryant would provide a more steady bat and a much-needed jolt to this lineup. If they want to win the World Series, I think they need to add somebody, and Bryant seems to be the perfect guy.
