The Cubs made a splash landing Kyle Tucker, but their offseason work isn’t finished if they want to be true contenders in 2024.
Tucker’s arrival – a genuine All-Star caliber outfielder – shows the Cubs are serious about winning now. But in today’s competitive landscape, one big move isn’t enough to separate yourself from the pack.
While we’re deep into the offseason, there’s still time for another significant addition. Just look at last year when Dylan Cease switched Chicago teams in late March. The Cubs should be working the phones to add one more impact player before Opening Day.
That’s where the bullpen comes in.
ClutchPoints’ Jordan Llanes floated an intriguing proposal Sunday: a seven-player deal centered around Athletics closer Mason Miller. The proposed trade would send Miller, center fielder J.J. Bleday, and starter J.P. Sears to Chicago in exchange for Seiya Suzuki, Owen Caissie, Ben Brown and Jameson Taillon.
Let’s focus on the key pieces here. Miller might be baseball’s most electric young closer, while Suzuki ($19 million salary) doesn’t have a clear role in Chicago’s crowded outfield after the Tucker addition. The A’s, perpetually in sell mode, might be willing to move Miller while his value peaks.
“Miller would be the crown jewel though, as he would make the bullpen even stronger,” Llanes wrote. “Shedding Suzuki and Taillon would meet the mandate to reduce payroll and open up roster space.”
While the full seven-player framework seems unlikely – Bleday, for instance, fits better in Oakland’s rebuild than Chicago’s win-now window – there’s logic to a Miller-Suzuki centered deal. The Cubs could flip an expensive redundancy for an elite bullpen arm that could help push them over the top in the NL Central.
The way things usually go in Oakland, it’s not a matter of if their stars get traded, but when. The Cubs should at least make the call.
