Holy Quintana! Cubs backed into a corner with Garrett Crochet trade talks

The Chicago Cubs don't often trade with their crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox. That's a wise business decision, as such trades can come back to haunt one of the two parties involved. Whichever team loses said trade is reminded of it ad nauseam.

Such was the case when the Cubs traded for then-White Sox ace Jose Quintana back in 2017. The Cubs sent a trade package that included Dylan Cease and Eloy Jimenez back to the White Sox. While they were highly-valued young players at the time, no one could have seen their ascent coming, especially Cease.

Suddenly, the Cubs find themselves in a similar spot. Jed Hoyer wants controllable, young pitching. Corchet checks that box, though he does want a new contract sometime soon. The Cubs have a strong farm system they can use to for a top-level starter. Now, if only that starting pitcher didn't play in the south side.

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Would the Cubs risk repeating history with a Garrett Crochet trade?

Of course, the Cubs could always opt out of a trade for Crochet. No harm done in not making a trade with a crosstown rival. Unfortunately, that might not be an option unless Hoyer is comfortable with Crochet pitching every fifth day in their division. Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Cincinnati Reds could put together a solid trade package for Crochet along with the Cubs.

As Morosi notes, the Cubs and White Sox do have some trade history since the Quintana deal. Perhaps that opened the floodgates. Still, for a pitcher of Crochet's caliber, Hoyer would have to be comfortable dealing the best of his farm system come back to haunt him years later.

As much as the Cubs roster management can suggest they're a small-market team, they have a top-10 payroll and are willing to spend on the right players. Crochet is one of those players, were he actually available to hit.

A top of the rotation featuring Crochet, Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga suddenly turns up the heat on the Milwaukee Brewers, and would leave the Reds out in the cold.