Cubs Rumors: Dansby Swanson bullying, Javy Baez trade, prospect rankings

Cubs Rumors: Javy Baez trade looks even worse now

At the 2021 MLB trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs traded beloved shortstop Javier Baez to the New York Mets. At the time, it was thought Baez would help put New York over the top, as he was paired with Francisco Lindor in a star-studded infield. Yet, that was not meant to be.

Baez played relatively well during his time in Queens. However, he was there for only half a season before signing with the Detroit Tigers as a free agent. That’s a story for a different day. Yet, the Cubs return in the Baez trade continues to make this a nightmare scenario for New York.

Baez slashed .299/.371/.515 with the Mets, good for an .886 OPS. He rediscovered himself after struggling in Chicago, and was able to turn that successful half-season statistically into his current contract, which is an albatross from the Detroit Tigers perspective. Trevor Williams spent 1.5 seasons in New York. His 3.06 ERA in 2021 was key out of the Mets bullpen. In 2022, he saw similar success as a part-time starter.

On the surface, that doesn’t look too bad from the Mets perspective. Yet, sending Pete Crow-Armstrong — then their fifth-ranked prospect — back to Chicago was a huge mistake. PCA now ranks as the No. 12 overall prospect in baseball, and is likely to make his MLB debut in 2024. He’s an elite defensive player, and offers speed on the basepaths. If the Cubs are lucky, he is their center fielder of the future.

Crow-Armstrong was recently promoted to Triple-A Iowa, where he’s going through a bit of a learning curve, as is custom. But assuming he makes the right adjustments, this could be a trade the mets regret for years to come.