Despite all of the recent speculation, the Chicago Cubs will not be trading left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber.
Over the last few weeks, rumors of the Chicago Cubs perhaps trading young outfielder Kyle Schwarber for a piece who can help right now have been everywhere. However, I am here to tell you that it is not going to happen.
Unless it is legitimately a move that will shake up Major League Baseball, Schwarber is not going anywhere, and suggesting that Theo Epstein would trade him in exchange for a relief pitcher is extremely short-sided and laughable.
Schwarber was drafted by the Cubs as a somewhat surprising fourth overall selection in the 2014 Amateur Draft. Schwarber made a big time impact immediately in the minor leagues, and made his big league debut just over one year after getting drafted.
A powerful left-handed hitter with a smooth stroke and great control over the strike zone, Schwarber had immediate success for the Cubs last season. He hit .246/.355/.487 with 16 home runs in 69 games in his debut season last year, and he clearly has a bright future ahead of him.
Schwarber entered 2016 as the Cubs’ starting left fielder, but tore his ACL in the third game of the season, ending his year before it even got going.
Schwarber is not going to help the powerful Cubs in their World Series climb this season, but he is still an important part of the future at only 23 years old. Besides Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, Schwarber may be the most talented young player on the Cubs’ roster, and that is saying something.
A lot of this trade speculation surrounding Schwarber involves the New York Yankees. Schwarber would undoubtedly look great in the Bronx with the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium, but the Cubs simply are not going to trade him for anything that the Yankees have.
Andrew Miller is arguably the best relief pitcher in all of baseball, and the Cubs have an obvious hole in their bullpen. I fully expect them to make a deal for a relief pitcher ahead of the upcoming MLB trade deadline, with Miller being their most obvious target.
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That being said, Epstein and Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer are simply too smart to trade away Schwarber and his 40+ home run potential in exchange for any relief pitcher, even the best one in baseball.
The kind of power that Schwarber provides is rare, and the Cubs have him locked up through the 2021 season. They may make a strong offer to the Yankees for Miller, but Kyle Schwarber is not going to be involved in those talks.
I understand why on the surface the Cubs trading Schwarber may make some sense. They are loaded with impact position players all across the diamond, and Schwarber would probably be best suited as a designated hitter. Also, their window to win a World Series crown is open right now.
That being said, Schwarber’s defensive struggles have been exaggerated. No, he is not Willie Mays out there, but Schwarber plays passable defense in left field. He was poor in the outfield last year during the post-season, but was perfectly fine out there during the regular season.
Schwarber is never going to be anything more than a below average left fielder, but he is not going to kill the Cubs by playing out there. He misplayed a couple of balls in left field in front of a nation-wide audience, so now everyone thinks he is a terrible defender. He is not a good one, but the larger sample size shows Schwarber as a decent left fielder.
More than anything, the Chicago Cubs front office is too smart to trade away a young and emerging slugger who can be the centerpiece of an elite offense for a relief pitcher. Miller is fantastic, and the Cubs would be a better team with him in the back of the bullpen, but he is not worth trading Schwarber.
If I am wrong, I will gladly take the criticism, but mark my words: Kyle Schwarber will not be traded by the Chicago Cubs any time soon.
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