3 Cubs disappointments who need to be DFA’d immediately
By John Buhler
The Chicago Cubs may need even more than a fire sale to get this bad boy turned around.
It has been good, bad and now downright ugly for the Chicago Cubs this baseball season.
Chicago may only be one game below .500, but prior to Wednesday’s victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cubs had lost a ridiculous 11 games in a row. This recent nose dive has the Cubs in third place in the NL Central standings and 8.5 games back of the first place Milwaukee Brewers. While a fire sale of marquee trade assets could be coming, so could major players getting DFA’d.
If the Cubs designated any players for assignment, it might end up being these three veterans.
Chicago Cubs: 3 disappointments who need to be designated for assignment
9. RF. Chicago Cubs. 3. player. Jason Heyward. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Jason Heyward could not pick a worse time to have his worst year at the plate
As painful as it may sound to some Cubs fans, the front office may need to cut bait with World Series hero Jason Heyward. We know good and well what he provides in the clubhouse and defensively in right field, but he has been absolutely dreadful at the plate this year. He is slashing a career-worst .203/.286/.335 in 64 games for the Cubs this year with only five home runs as well.
Heyward is a career .259 hitter with 17-home run power and 12-stolen base foot speed on the base paths. He is just not getting on base near enough to make any sort of impact in the Chicago lineup on a regular basis. With two more full years under contract, Heyward’s deal with the Cubs is sadly becoming an albatross. Therefore, his trade market is not as robust as it probably should be.
Heyward is not willingly going to be sent down to Triple-A Iowa, so you can cross out that part of the equation. While the Cubs may end up having to go with the outright release if he were to be designated for assignment, Heyward does offer enough trade value where that might be the best course of action here. A veteran leader and a high-end defensive replacement does offer value.
While Hewyard could be traded this summer, he might have be designated for assignment first.