3 Early Cubs Trade Deadline Targets

3. Yimi Garcia, RP- Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have begun the season three games below .500 with a record of 16-19. Usually, that record this early in this season isn't too bad, but like the Rays, the Blue Jays are in the AL East. So, being three games below .500 and 7.5 games out of first place in May might already have the Blue Jays thinking of being sellers at the trade deadline. 

One player who could want to be moved is 32-year-old relief pitcher Yimi Garcia. Garcia joined the Blue Jays in 2022 and has been a below-average reliever. In 2022, Garcia earned a 3.10 ERA in 61 innings pitched with 16 walks and 58 strikeouts. He followed that up by earning a 4.09 ERA in 66 innings pitched with 15 walks and 79 strikeouts. While his strikeout-to-walk rate was high in 2022 and 2023, having higher ERAs makes those campaigns not great.

This year, Garcia has started out with a .68 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched with 3 walks and 16 strikeouts. While this is certainly a great start to the season, Garcia has never had an ERA lower than 3.00 in a season where he has pitched more than 20 innings. Even with this knowledge, the Cubs should try to trade for Garcia because if he is able to keep up the pace he is at now, he may have the best season of his career. If Garcia is able to have the best season of his career, he would be a big boost to this Cubs bullpen.

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