Two Chicago Cubs Veterans Expected To Drum Up More Trade Hype This Offseason

The Chicago Cubs could see two of their veterans become popular in trade talks once again this offseason.

Sep 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) throws the ball against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Wrigley Field. / David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs enter an interesting crossroads this offseason. They don't have a roster that is good enough to compete for a World Series but also have too many pieces to blow it all up.

They will have to navigate that situation while deciding how to approach this offseason. While they might not be sellers in the trade market, they could still trade some expendable players to get better elsewhere and become more balanced.

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports recently ranked his top 25 MLB trade candidates to watch this year and two Cubs veterans fit the bill.

SP Jameson Taillon

"Taillon was a very popular name at the trade deadline. There was so much reported interest that there was some surprise he didn't get moved. He has two years at $18 million a pop remaining on his contract, which is more than reasonable for a league average-ish starter who has performed quite a bit better than that for stretches," said Axisa.

Chicago's starting rotation was a surprising strength of the team and seems to be set at the top for the next few years. While Taillon's 3.27 ERA was impressive, it was actually the third-best on the pitching staff.

There is a perfect opportunity here to trade a player that would be valuable to another contender and could be sacrificed to add another reliable bat or bullpen arm.

He's the oldest of the Cubs' top-four starting pitchers and has the earliest expiring contract. It's nothing against Taillon, it just seems like the smart thing to do.

2B Nico Hoerner

"Trading Hoerner for a haul and turning second base over to Shaw could be a thing Chicago pursues this winter. Or, rather, a thing they jump on if an offer makes sense. I don't think the Cubs will actively shop him," Axisa added.

The 27-year-old presents a challenging case for the front office to decipher. He has been a fairly consistent bat over the start of his career, but has never taken the next step to become an All-Star.

He is coming off the worst full season of his career .273/.335/.373 slashing line.

The Cubs need an impactful bat and Hoerner's is more complimentary than anything.

Along with the questions about whether or not they should trade him, there's also no certainty that he'll be ready to go before the season starts. If his injury majorly impacts his offseason, it's likely that no team offers up enough to consider making a move.