Two Cubs Stars Listed As Potential Trade Candidates This Offseason
The Chicago Cubs were on the brink of a postseason berth in 2024. They had some talent and swiped manager Craig Counsell from the Milwaukee Brewers. But ultimately, the Cubs didn’t have enough firepower to truly compete. Now that Chicago has seen a full season under Counsell, it was able to build the coaching staff around him. The Cubs have free agency and the trade market to build the roster of players that they will send out under Counsell in 2025.
And reports are indicating that Chicago is open to some serious roster shakeup over the next few months. ESPN’s Jeff Passan revealed that the Cubs could be willing to trade not just one but two of their stars this winter as they look to reshape their roster in the best way possible.
The Cubs don’t have to trade the 27-year-old (Nico Hoerner) this winter, but with Matt Shaw big-league-ready, they could use Hoerner to land a starting pitcher,” Passan wrote. “Hoerner’s ability to play shortstop as well is appealing to teams interested in middle-infield help. Another Cub available: Cody Bellinger, who opted into a $27.5 million salary for 2025.”
Moving Hoerner could be seen as the traditional “addition by subtraction” move. Clearing space for top prospect Matt Shaw while adding a starting pitcher would be quite a great move for Chicago. As for Bellinger, there are a lot of teams that could use him. Whichever New York team misses on Soto (or if both miss on Soto) could be a great fit to make a trade for Bellinger. The left-handed outfielder would fill a hole in either the New York Mets or New York Yankees lineup.
read more:
Kyle Hendricks’ heartfelt message to Cubs after signing with Angels
Kyle Hendricks starts a new chapter as he joins the Los Angeles Angels.
Longtime Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks officially joined the Los Angeles Angels this week, signaling a decisive shift from his former team. The Angels completed a $2.5 million, one-year deal with Hendricks on Thursday.
Although Hendricks has a deep affection for Chicago, he’s also a realist. Aware of how his recent struggles — particularly a rough start to 2024 — could impact his prospects, he understood the limitations he’d face as a free agent at 34.
Kyle Hendricks and the Chicago Cubs parting ways
‘‘Of course, I would have loved to be a Cub my whole life, if it could have happened,’’ said the longtime Cubs pitcher.
‘‘But you have to produce, and it just didn’t happen for me. They’re in the window right now where they’re really looking to go win with what they have set up. And I’m happy for that.
What Hendricks couldn’t have predicted was how swiftly the Los Angeles Angels would pursue him. Just a half-hour from his hometown, the team presented an ideal chance to keep pitching. Yet, accepting their offer also meant closing the chapter on his impactful career in Chicago.
Leave a Reply