A Cubs-Guardians trade to recoup top MLB-ready talent for Shane Bieber

The Chicago Cubs need starting pitching depth. That much was obvious after they lost Marcus Stroman to the New York Yankees this winter.

Justin Steele is capable, but doesn't project as an ace long-term. He is also out until May. Shota Imanaga was an intriguing signing, but it's far too soon to know which direction his career is heading. The rest of Chicago's rotation is patchwork, and as much as I respect Craig Counsell, there's only so much devil magic he is capable of.

This is where Shane Bieber comes in. Despite the Guardians claims that they can make a playoff push in a weak AL Central this season (all valid thoughts, by the way), trading Bieber makes a lot of since. He's in a contract year, and his fastball velocity has dipped the last few years. If Cleveland waits until the trade deadline, the return will be underwhelming.

Bieber has made two starts so far this season against the Athletics and Mariners respectively, and has looked dominant. Unless Cleveland intends on signing Bieber to a long-term extension, they'd be best-served trading him now.

What a Cubs-Guardians trade for Shane Bieber would look like

The Chicago Cubs have plenty of top-100 prospects that could be assets in the right trade, but this should not be one of them. Bieber is pitching well, but he's a free agent after the year is up.

One solution could be to avoid top prospects altogether. The Guardians frequently pursue this route, refusing to buy into a complete teardown while also getting the most MLB-ready talent they can for an expiring contract, which Bieber qualifies as. In this case, that plays into the hands of both teams.

In this two-for-one swap, the Cubs land their ace with a season to play with, and hopefully can sign Bieber to an extension this winter.

The Guardians receive ample talent, as Christopher Morel is one of the best young power bats in the NL Central. Unfortunately, he also can't play third base, thus leaving him position-less at the moment. Brown is the Cubs No. 10-ranked prospect who just made his MLB debut. Against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, Brown threw nearly five innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen, and projects as a high-usage starter.

Dealing a longtime ace away like Bieber is never easy, but by acquiring two legitimate MLB starters, Cleveland shouldn't miss much of a beat.