The Chicago Cubs traded for right-handed starter Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins this week, sending top prospect Owen Cassie along with Christian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon south.
That gives them a solid rotation with Shota Imanaga leading the way. But they’ve got a bigger issue brewing.
Kyle Tucker is drawing serious interest across the league, and the Cubs’ chances of keeping him are looking pretty slim. That’s got them exploring other options before the market gets away from them.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer suggests they should pivot to Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette.
“On paper, the best way the Cubs can fill the Tucker-shaped hole is by simply re-signing Tucker. But since the odds of that seem somewhere between slim and none, alternative options will have to do. According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Cubs are reportedly interested in Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette.”
Neither player fills Tucker’s spot in the outfield, but both can match or exceed his offensive production. That’s what the Cubs really need right now.
Bregman hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs across 114 games last season. Bichette was even better at the plate, slashing .311/.357/.483 with 18 long balls and 94 RBIs in 139 games. He was particularly impressive in the postseason despite dealing with injuries.
The thing is, both players are generating more interest as the offseason progresses. If the Cubs want to land either one, they’ll need to move quickly before the market heats up even more.
It’s not the perfect solution they were hoping for with Tucker, but it might be thier best bet at this point.
