The Chicago Cubs have made two trades in the last week to replenish the bullpen with the addition of right-hander Jesse Chavez and to help address the end of the starting rotation, trading for Cole Hamels.
Yet, they may not be done making moves before the trade deadline.
Closer Brandon Morrow has been on the disabled list twice this season and is currently not on track to return from his latest 10-day stint being sidelined. The Cubs’ bullpen has been great this season, ranking second in the National League with a 3.29 ERA, but you can never be too proactive when looking ahead to the final two months of the season that will hopefully lead into another postseason run.
With Morrow’s status currently up in the air the Cubs have to prepare for the worst case scenario. And even if Morrow does return completely healthy the Cubs could still use another bullpen arm, as Brian Duensing’s days on the North Side seem to be coming to an end.
With that in mind and even after the trades of Chavez and Hamels, the Cubs remain active in the trade market. The latest report has the Cubs linked to Miami Marlins reliever Brad Ziegler.
Source : Cubs & Indians have shown the most interest thus far in Marlins RP Brad Ziegler.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 27, 2018
The 38-year-old right-hander hasn’t been anything special for the Marlins in the past two years, but he’s still been pretty good against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .683 OPS in 102 at-bats this season.
Overall in 2018, Ziegler has a 4.09 ERA, but he’s really turned his year around starting in June. In his last 27.2 innings, Ziegler has only allowed three earned runs. That includes 24 scoreless appearances since the beginning of June. In July, Ziegler has a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings.
Ziegler is in the final year of his contract, making $9 million this season before becoming a free agent. So, like the Hamels trade with the Texas Rangers, a deal for Ziegler won’t cost the Cubs much.
That being said the Cubs have plenty of options in the trade market for another reliever, so if another deal is made maybe expect it to go down to the wire on July 31, as the front office weighs the different possibilities.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale joined our podcast this week and discussed what the Cubs might do before the trade deadline ends. He brought up San Diego Padres reliever Kirby Yates as an attractive trade candidate for the Cubs. However, Yates would cost the Cubs more than other relievers, as he’s under team control through 2020.
The 31-year-old has a 1.40 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 38.2 innings for the Padres this year.
Yates would be a dream get for the Cubs, but again at this point the expectation should be another under the radar move like the Jesse Chavez acquisition.
