A Cubs-Astros trade that would make Christopher Morel expendable

Despite still trailing the Brewers by 1.5 games in the NL Central, the Chicago Cubs have to be quite pleased with the way things are coalescing early in the 2024 season. The Houston Astros, meanwhile, appear on the precipice of wholesale changes, namely being big-time sellers at the midsummer trade deadline that looms large.

According to recent reports, one of the biggest-named Astros who could be on the move is third baseman Alex Bregman. In the final year of his contract, there was talk in the offseason that Houston may be unable to retain him after extending Jose Altuve. Now, with the club's struggles, they may look to trade him in order to avoid losing him in free agency for nothing.

And perhaps the Cubs could be interested. Yes, they have the big bat of Christopher Morel starting at third base right now, but Bregman -- even in the midst of an awful start with a .200/.273/.267 slash line through 35 games -- offers more upside and invaluable postseason chops and experience. Perhaps more importantly, Morel could be trade bait for either a rotation or bullpen upgrade that would also behoove Chicago.

How would that trade ultimately end up looking, though? Let's take a deeper dive with a proposed package for the Cubs to send the Astros for Bregman.

Cubs-Astros trade that sends Alex Bregman to Chicago

With Bregman becoming a free agent at the end of this season, we aren't going to see the Cubs give up the farm for the Astros third baseman. However, a trade could look something like this for Chicago and Houston.

Because of the expiring contract, the Cubs aren't even going to have to think about dealing a Top 5 prospect like Cade Horton or even Pete Crow-Armstrong. Even without that, however, the Astros could get some nice upside with a return of two Top 15 players in the Chicago farm system with Ben Brown and BJ Murray Jr.

Brown is just 24 years old but has already shown some big-league prowess. Thus far in the 2024 season, he's appeared in nine games with a 3.73 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 31+ innings. For an Astros team with long-term questions now about the rotation, Brown could be a great look to the future. Then there's Murray, who has struggled in Triple-A thus far at 24 years old to start his 2024 campaign, but posted an .844 OPS in Double-A last year. He could be an option to get a look as Bregman's possible long-term replacement.

While the Astros certainly wouldn't walk away emptyhanded, this trade would put the Cubs in the catbird seat. For one, it feels like a formality that the 30-year-old Bregman will start to turn things around considering that he currently has a 59 OPS+ and his previous career low was a 113 in 2021 while having only three seasons below 123 in his career since 2016. And again, his postseason experience could prove invaluable for the Chicago clubhouse.

Even without a guarantee that the Cubs could re-sign Bregman, though, this trade would allow them to be further aggressive at the trade deadline with Morel. A hot commodity with a big bat that shined in 2023 and has been hot-and-cold in 2024, he could be the centerpiece of a deal for someone like Jesus Luzardo, Mason Miller, or another big arm to bolster the pitching staff, which is the primary need for this club.

There's still a lot of baseball left this season, but the Astros don't appear to be on the verge of turning a corner or anything close. And if that happens, trading Bregman could and should be in their best interest, which should then, in turn, be of great interest to the Cubs for a situation like this proposed trade.