MLB Trade Rumors: Cubs have considered Francisco Liriano

With the MLB Trade Deadline just a few days away, the Cubs are looking to add to their bullpen, and have considered Francisco Liriano for their roster.

The Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of a change in their lineup if they want to get back to their success from a season ago, where they won the 2016 World Series.

The team finds themselves up a single game in the NL Central over the Milwaukee Brewers in the standings, and are looking to gain some ground to make sure they get some better positioning for the postseason. With the trade deadline just days away, it appears they’re looking to enhance their pitching staff to make a run at a repeat.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Cubs have “at least considered” a trade for Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Francisco Liriano to add to their bullpen. According to Rosenthal, the clubs that are truly interested in Liriano view him as a reliever, given his horrible ERA through 17 starts this season for the Blue Jays.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, the Kansas City Royals looked to be on their way to a deal for Liriano, and appeared to be the only true team with some solid interest in the former American League All-Star.

Liriano is currently on the last season of his three-year, $39 million contract, and would likely serve as the equivalent to a rental for the Cubs in the later part of the season to help bolster their bullpen with some veteran experience.

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Given Liriano’s poor performance this season, he likely wouldn’t be given a chance as a starter, unless tragedy truly struck for one of the team’s starting pitchers.

At this point, nothing has truly surfaced about the Cubs and Blue Jays being even close to a deal for Liriano, but we may see the price rise for the Blue Jays pitcher as more teams show their interest.