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I know I’m going to just shit on this trade proposal from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, but hey, thanks for the content.
Remember when Giancarlo Stanton put the Cubs on his list of teams he’d agree to get traded to back in the 2017-18 offseason? Who knows, maybe he’ll waive his no-trade clause this offseason to come to Chicago. That’s the first step that needs to happen for this insane trade proposal to become a reality.
https://t.co/XfxJdBrUKb I thought folks might need a distraction, so my 5 #Yankees trades sure to entertain (annoy). #Cubs #Padres #Marlins #Rangers #Rockies
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 4, 2020
So, here’s Joel Sherman’s trade proposal involving the Cubs via the New York Post.
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Stanton and prospects to the Cubs for Yu Darvish, Jason Heyward and Craig Kimbrel
This one definitely blows up the Yankees’ 2021 luxury tax — but again it is short-term pain, for long-term gain. How much do the Cubs want to lower payroll in the short term (word is a lot)? This saves the Cubs $51 million from 2021-23, including $30 million in 2021. Plus, their underwhelming farm system could pick up a piece or two additionally as a reward for taking on Stanton from 2024-27 ($98 million with the Marlins’ piece removed).
Darvish jumps in as the Yankees’ No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole. Heyward is Brett Gardner-esque: a strong corner defender and lefty bat who actually had a .936 OPS vs. righties last season. Kimbrel has been bad the last two years, but in September he threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings with no walks and 13 strikeouts. None of these contracts go beyond 2023.
The premise is that the Cubs want to save money in the short term, which is true, so Sherman isn’t randomly picking the Cubs. However, despite the Cubs potentially saving a total of $51 million in payroll in the next three seasons, they would then suddenly have to pay Stanton a total of $108 million from 2024-27. Sherman left off the $10 million buyout for Stanton’s $25 million option in 2028.
I mean, yeah it seems that MLB owners are especially looking out for the best short term benefits, but there’s just no way the Cubs are going to want to commit $108 million to Stanton when he’s going to be 34-years-old when the 2024 season begins.
And here’s the thing, Stanton is a monster at the plate. I don’t care about the strikeouts because this dude still mashes, posting a career .545 slugging % and .905 OPS.
HOWEVER! The big caveat with Stanton still being dangerous at the plate is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy since 2018. Only played in 18 games for the Yankees in 2018 and 23 in the shortened 2020 season.
On the Cubs side they’re giving up the best player in Yu Darvish, who’s a Cy Young candidate and has been amazing since July 2019. And by the way, the rest of his deal looks pretty good for the Cubs right now, as Darvish is only owed $59 million in the next three seasons.
Jason Heyward has a no-trade clause and has been really good against righties for the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Craig Kimbrel will make $16 million in 2021, after it looked like he was back to himself to finish this year.
These big contract swaps are always tough to even come up with and hey you can make an argument that if the Yankees really want to get off Stanton’s deal maybe they throw in some more cash to entice the Cubs or any other team. However, it’s still crazy because the prospects coming from the Yankees would also have to be elite.
But this is where Sherman really lost me. How about the Cubs just throw in Ian Happ, too.
Should the Yanks try to widen the deal to figure out a way to get switch-hitting Ian Happ, a good athlete who has shown growth as a center fielder? Yes.
Yeah, I mean, do the Yankees want Kyle Hendricks as well? C’mon, Joel.
The money doesn’t actually make sense for the Cubs. The players involved doesn’t actually make sense for the Cubs and now throw in Happ? Seriously, the Yankees would have to be willing to give up a bunch of their top prospects for the Cubs to even consider this.
Good try, good effort Joel.
