Five remaining trade targets for the Chicago Cubs
5. Daniel Norris, SP, Detroit Tigers
The Cubs have been connected a lot to players on the Detroit Tigers in trade rumors, particularly a host of pitchers. The Justin Verlander whispers have been there, but apparently, the Cubs are more interested in a pair of young pitchers.
Theo Epstein and company asked about reigning American League Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer. Fulmer is one of the best young pitchers in the game, and after acquiring Quintana, any trade for Fulmer seems like a pipe dream. However, the other young pitcher mentioned as a Cubs target could still make plenty of sense.
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Left-handed pitcher Daniel Norris has been a highly touted prospect for a long time. Back in 2015, Baseball America had him as the 18th best prospect in the game and he was considered a future top of the rotation starter by anybody who saw him.
The Tigers acquired Norris as the headliner in the David Price trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. Norris undoubtedly has a lot of long-term upside, but he has struggled mightily in the majors this season.
Through 16 starts with the Tigers in 2017, Norris has an ugly 5.29 ERA. His 4.29 FIP suggests that he has been hurt by his defense but Norris has undoubtedly been bad this season. He is getting hit hard and is walking far too many batters.
Perhaps a change of scenery would be best for the young left-hander? The Cubs could trade for Norris and make him their fifth starter for the rest of the season. If he continues to pitch poorly, it will not kill them. However, the upside is still there and this could be a great buy-low opportunity.
I do not know if the Tigers will go for a package headlined by say, Candelario and Clifton, for Norris but it is worth a shot. The Cubs are aggressively looking for long-term starting pitching and Norris fits the bill perfectly. I bet he could be had for the right price.