Report: Cubs aggressively seeking trade
It's looking increasingly likely that the Chicago Cubs will trade one - or more - of their big-name players.
Various executives have said the Cubs are "aggressive," "manic," "motivated," and "obvious" about their desire to make at least one trade this offseason, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports.
Willson Contreras, Kris Bryant, and Kyle Schwarber have all had their names surface in rumors this fall, though Passan also lists Anthony Rizzo and Albert Almora Jr. as potential trade chips.
Rizzo and his pair of remaining $14.5-million team options may be easier to move than Bryant, who is set to earn a considerable raise to $18.5 million in his third year of arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
| Player | Projected 2020 Salary |
|---|---|
| Bryant | $18.5M |
| Schwarber | $8.0M |
| Contreras | $4.5M |
| Almora Jr. | $1.8M |
Contreras and Almora are each eligible for arbitration for the first time, while Schwarber is going through the process for the second time.
Some of this apparent desperation can be chalked up to lofty salaries owed to the likes of Yu Darvish ($20 million), Jason Heyward ($21 million), and Jon Lester ($15 million) in 2020.