The Chicago Cubs are not a very good baseball team at all. They currently sit at 18-26 which is good for the third-worst record in the National League. Times are hard for them right now as they have no chance of competing for the playoffs this year.
They just split a series 2-2 with the Cincinnati Reds who might have the worst team in the history of the league this year. It feels even worse since they lost that last game 20-5 which is just a disgusting disgrace for them.
Change is needed on the north side in every way. They traded away a majority of their core in 2021 which didn’t make the fans super happy but they clearly need to rebuild this thing. They shouldn’t be done moving players either. These are three players that need to be gone before the 2022 MLB trade deadline:
It is time for the Chicago Cubs to get something for Frank Schwindel in a trade.
The Chicago Cubs replaced Anthony Rizzo at first base with Frank Schwindel in 2021 and he lit the world on fire. Although a bit older than most rookies, he was one of the most impactful first-year players in the entire league despite playing only half of the year.
They probably should have traded him during the offseason because his value was as high as it was ever going to get but they might be able to salvage that now. He was so bad to start the year that he was sent down to AAA but he only spent a day or so down because of injury.
When he came back, he started to hit the ball again and has possibly saved his season in the MLB. Now, the Cubs should really be shopping him to see if a contender would take a chance on him to bring depth to their lineup.
The Chicago Cubs might want to make a trade involving Patrick Wisdom soon.
Like Schwindel, Patrick Wisdom was an outstanding “old rookie”. He played for the whole season and didn’t need a roster spot to open up in order to play. As a result, he was a top-five finisher for the National League rookie of the Year.
Wisdom was outstanding at the plate specifically as he broke Kris Bryant’s rookie record for home runs in a season. It was a tremendous job for him and it made the Cubs somewhat watchable during what was a very bad season. He was one of their best players all year long.
Now, it is time for the Cubs to continue rebuilding. Although Wisdom is a second-year player, he is in his 30s now which is not the “young talent” that you want to build around when you execute a rebuild. They can probably get a lot for him from a team that believes they can win the World Series.
In addition to being a very good hitter, he would provide a contender with some versatility defensively. He can play third base, first base, and the outfield which would help anyone. If the Cubs stay true to doing what is best for their future, Wisdom will be on the move.
The Chicago Cubs need to move on from Willson Contreras before it is too late.
Willson Contreras was a big part of the Chicago Cubs core for a long time. He is one of the few players left that was there in 2016 when they ended their 108-year World Series drought. Now, it is clear that they have to move on from him because he probably isn’t coming back.
He wants to be back but it is weird that the Cubs haven’t extended him yet as this is the last year of his current deal. At this point, they seem to be sending the message that he is going to be gone. The longer they wait, the lesser the return for him is going to be. They need to act quickly.
The Cubs probably didn’t get what they wanted for Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, or Kris Bryant in 2021 and they are in danger of that happening with Willson Contreras in 2022. They are in the same predicament with him as he is free to go wherever he wants at the season’s end.
It isn’t going to be fun to see him go for Cubs fans but it is what it is. They need to do what they can to make things better for the team in the long term. If they can get some good pieces for him, they should really do it.
Cubs fans are going to be mad at this stuff but that is the price you pay while rebuilding. They have a long way to go but they have to move these guys while they have value. None of them will be in their prime when this team returns to contention.