MLB Rumors: 1 trade to fix the Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies and Mets
By Mark Powell
MLB Rumors: Cubs should trade for Jose Cisnero
The Chicago Cubs have one of the worst bullpen ERAs in baseball, making it obvious what their biggest weakness is entering mid-June. While the Cubs could easily sell at the deadline — with the likes of Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman already discussed among MLB pundits — they’d be smart to try and acquire a reliever or two. Building a bullpen from scratch isn’t easy, and right now David Ross doesn’t have much to work with.
The Detroit Tigers, meanwhile, are clear sellers. They’ve fallen out of the AL Central race of late, and Scott Harris knows his team is still a few years away from contention. With that in mind, he’d be smart to trade proven assets in a contract year, such as Eduardo Rodriguez, Michael Lorenzen, and even Jose Cisnero.
Cisnero has been one of the best relief pitchers on the team this season, with a 2.55 ERA in 28 appearances. While Detroit hasn’t played with the lead all that much this year, Cisnero has been dependable when called upon, and would immediately slot in towards the back of the Chicago bullpen, just as he has in MoTown. It’s a role he’s familiar and comfortable with.
The Cubs and Tigers have traded with each other previously, in deals for Michael Fulmer and more. That familiarity should aid any move down the line.