This Cubs-Yankees trade gives New York an infielder and sets Cubs up for a major splash

The New York Yankees lost infielder Gleyber Torres earlier this offseason and they haven't effectively replaced him just yet. New York has been connected to a plethora of different potential infielders, but none of them have come to fruition and free agency is pretty dry at this point in the offseason. It'll be difficult for the Bronx Bombers to find a potential starter without diving into the trade market.

Enter the Chicago Cubs and infielder Nico Hoerner. But why would the Cubs want to trade their starting second baseman? The answer is simple: Alex Bregman.

Bregman, the clear top free agent left on the market, seems to be a big target for the Cubs, but Chicago obviously hasn't given him enough money yet or else he would have signed with them. They could look to free up some money by trading Hoerner and replacing him with Bregman.

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This Cubs-Yankees trade would push both teams toward their ultimate goal

In this scenario, Bregman would slot in at third base and top Cubs prospect Matt Shaw would come up and play second base everyday. If the Cubs keep Hoerner and acquire Bregman, it could block Shaw from playing every day early in his big-league career.

This deal sees Hoerner shipped to the Bronx Bombers to be the team's everyday second baseman while Brock Selvidge and Jorbit Vivas head to Chicago.

Selvidge, 22, is an elite left-handed pitching prospect with a solid four pitch mix. He has a solid fastball and a plus cutter to work with. It's going to be very telling if he's a legit big leaguer when he makes his way to Triple-A in 2025.

Vivas, 23, slashed .225/.348/.358 split between three levels of the minor leagues, mostly at the Triple-A level. He's typically viewed as an elite bat to ball hitter, but he struggled mightily in 2024. A change of scenery could elevate him to the kind of prospect that scouts believe he can be.

This deal ultimately pushes both teams in the direction they want to go in. It would have to be made if and when the Cubs have a deal in place to acquire Bregman. Chicago likely won't trade Hoerner without Bregman coming to the Windy City.