Chicago Cubs rumors: Five under-the-radar targets for MLB trade deadline

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 12: Addison Reed #43 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 12, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Mets won 5-4. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /

4. Addison Reed, RP, New York Mets

As the New York Mets fall further and further out of contention, they appear to be one of the most likely sellers on the market. The Mets have many players who could be of interest to contenders and closer Addison Reed is undoubtedly among them.

Reed has been fantastic for the Mets since joining the team prior to 2016. Last season, Reed posted an impressive 1.97 ERA that was backed up by his 1.97 FIP (FanGraphs). He has not been quite as dominant this season (2.56 ERA, 3.06 FIP), but Reed is still a strong back of the bullpen arm who has excelled since becoming the Mets’ closer.

A free agent after the 2017 season, Reed is just a rental. However, that should help drive his price down on the trade market. The Chicago Cubs saw first hand how important having a strong bullpen is last postseason, and adding Reed to the mix would give them one of the bests.

Right now, the Cubs can count on Wade Davis, Carl Edwards Jr. and Koji Uehara out of the ‘pen. Pedro Strop has pitched well at times, but Hector Rondon‘s fall from grace has hurt the depth of the Cubs’ bullpen. Adding Reed to the mix in some sort of set-up role would significantly add to the impact depth for the Cubs in the late innings.

Considering the asking price is unlikely to be astronomical, Addison Reed is a logical trade candidate for the Chicago Cubs.

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