Inside The Cubs

Chicago Cubs and Rays Linked in Potential Blockbuster Trade Deal

The Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays could pull off the blockbuster trade of the season when the MLB trade deadline rolls around.

Kade Kistner

Chicago Cubs and Rays Linked in Potential Blockbuster Trade Deal
Chicago Cubs and Rays Linked in Potential Blockbuster Trade Deal /
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The Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays could team up to pull off the blockbuster trade of the season when the MLB trade deadline of Aug. 1 rolls around. 

The Cubs have Marcus Stroman on the trade block, a starting pitcher who is holds a 3.09 ERA over 122.1 innings pitched this season. He has an opt-out he will almost certainly use after the season and become a free agent.

He is the perfect trade chip and is very likely the best option in the starting pitching market. Stroman is reportedly drawing interest from the Rays according to Onto Waveland Podcast with Brett Taylor, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney.

As for the Rays, they need some rotational help. They have been going to a bullpen game through the year as they have suffered some rotation injuries throughout the season. 

However, they do have a strong farm system and plenty of excellent prospects to offer in return to Chicago. They have near MLB-ready options to, something that may entice the Cubs as they look to contend next season.

Chicago started the season off hot and have made some noise in the National League Central. However, they are about a year ahead of the contention window and plan, so moving on from Stroman and Bellinger, who will be free agents at the end of the season anyways, is less of pulling the plug and more about taking advantage of the expiring resources they have. 

Tampa has a notoriously deep farm system, one that has kept them in continual contention for years now despite the fact they seem to lose star power every offseason.

They will need to dig into that system if they hope to pry Stroman away from Chicago. But it's a deal that should work for both sides at the deadline. 

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Cubs. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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