The Chicago Cubs could be looking to make room for some younger talent after a startling blockbuster trade.
The team landed Houston Astros slugger Kyle Tucker last week and that move could be the precursor for more to come. As a young outfield talent that might be the next face of the franchise, Tucker could push the Cubs to trade away Cody Bellinger. And as the team searches for suitors, they could find one who would be a fit for another of their veterans in the New York Yankees.
Noting the potential interest in a deal that sends Bellinger to the Yankees, Randy Miller of NJ.com suggested the Cubs could throw in infielder Nico Hoerner as well, projecting a 2025 Yankees lineup that includes both Cubs veterans in the Bronx.
“The buzz around baseball has the Yankees in trade talks with the Cubs for former MVP Cody Bellinger, a left-handed power bat who would bring top-notch defense whether he’s playing left field or first base,” Miller wrote. “Could a compromise be in the works in which the Yankees also get second baseman Nico Hoerner in a deal that sends a prospect and extra starter Marcus Stroman back to the Northside of Chicago?”
Miller’s suggestion would ease some of the burden of Bellinger’s 2025 salary, noting that the Yankees won’t want to take on his full cost for 2025 but could take Hoerner’s salary off their hands as well to ease up the Chicago payroll overall. After Hoerner signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Cubs in 2023 and Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million contract with them in 2024, the duo could cost as much as $115 million total between 2023 and 2026.
If the Yankees take on some of that financial burden in a trade, it would free up the Cubs to pursue other roster improvements and give them more freedom to lock Tucker into a major extension for 2026 and beyond.
Miller’s trade proposal also sees the Cubs address the need for some additional rotation depth by adding Stroman, who played for them in 2022 and 2023, as well as a younger talent.
“The deal would save the Cubs $20 million and add a veteran starter who has been to two All-Star games (one as a Cub) plus perhaps a prospect who could pitch his way into the rotation this season, maybe right-hander Will Warren,” Miller added. “The Yankees would lose pitching depth, but fill two position spots with Bellinger starting at first or left field and Hoerner at second.”
The Cubs might make any number of subsequent moves after securing Tucker for the 2025 season. But it does seem likely that they would want to make their roster younger and unlock some financial flexibility ahead of next season.
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