MLB insider proposes Cubs-Pirates 5-player blockbuster involving $77M hurler

The Chicago Cubs should beryllium among nan biggest movers and shakers astatine this year's Major League Baseball waste and acquisition deadline.

Chicago has been 1 of nan champion teams successful nan convention each year, arriving astatine nan All-Star break pinch nan National League's second-best record. Unfortunately, nan squad pinch nan third-best grounds is nan Milwaukee Brewers, who person caught occurrence and beryllium only 1 crippled backmost of nan Cubs for first spot successful nan NL Central.

The Cubs could realistically usage a mates of starting pitchers, a caller 3rd baseman, and immoderate bullpen thief to maximize their chances of fending disconnected nan red-hot Brewers.

One MLB insider thinks there's a waste and acquisition to beryllium had pinch nan Pittsburgh Pirates that could reside each request for Chicago.

On Sunday, Jon Heyman of nan New York Post sounded a blockbuster waste and acquisition successful which Chicago would get Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller, 3rd baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, and person David Bednar for 3rd baseman Matt Shaw and apical outfield imaginable Owen Caissie.

"The Cubs are scouting nan Pirates (as are astir contenders). Keller will beryllium 1 of nan amended starters disposable and Hayes is simply a awesome defender who needs a alteration of scenery. The Pirates activity and request young guys who tin hit," Heyman wrote.

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Keller is simply a valuable starter (on a $77 cardinal extension) who nan penny-pinching Pirates would surely emotion to extremity paying, and Bednar is simply a worthy inclusion for a playoff bullpen, perchance arsenic a closer, perchance arsenic an eighth-inning guy. But it's Hayes who feels for illustration nan reddish herring here.

For immoderate reason, each nan violative advancement Hayes seemed to make successful 2023 has gone by nan wayside. He's sewage a .578 OPS successful his past 185 games, and moreover though he plays Gold Glove-caliber defense, a contending squad can't person that successful their lineup.

Replacing Shaw pinch Hayes would beryllium a awesome bet for Chicago, successful nan contiguous early and particularly long-term. It's conscionable not clear yet whether aliases not president of shot operations Jed Hoyer wants to make that gamble.

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