The Chicago Cubs have been one of the best teams in the National League for much of the first half, but there’s room for improvement.
Looking at the standings, the Cubs only have three games of separation between themselves and the St. Louis Cardinals. That’s been a bit of a surprise, considering the Cardinals did almost nothing this offseason and have long been rumored to be trade deadline sellers.
The big name that nearly everyone expected the Cardinals to trade this offseason was third baseman Nolan Arenado. That didn’t happen, as the eight-time All-Star used his no-trade clause to nix a deal that would have sent him to the Houston Astros.
The no-trade clause complicates things, but if St. Louis is out of the race by the deadline, perhaps Arenado will open up his options to escape the final two years of his contract. Meanwhile, one former big-league general manager is calling for the Cubs to take a swing.
On Thursday, MLB Network analyst Dan O’Dowd, the former general manager of the Colorado Rockies, named Arenado to the Cubs as one of the blockbuster trades he wants to see happen this summer.
“I still feel the Cubs need help at third base, so a deal that I think should happen… is (Nolan) Arenado going to the Cubs,” O’Dowd wrote. “I think Matt Shaw’s a good player; the one thing Matt can’t compete with (is) when you look at the Cubs right now with Swanson and Hoerner up the middle, they’re elite defensively.
Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp
“Even though his run production may not be the same, he’s still the elite defender that he is at third base. And I think the change of scenery for Nolan would be very good for him.”
Arenado, 34, has cooled down at the plate after a hot start. He’s down to a .695 OPS on the year, which would be a new career-low.
Because Arenado’s $260 million contract included $74 million unpaid at the start of the season ($10 million of that is owed by the Colorado Rockies), his contract is a major factor in deciding whether or not it makes sense to trade for him.
More MLB:Â Could Yankees reunite with former 27-HR slugger in trade with Athletics?
