Chicago Cubs Rumors: Ryan Dempster Could Be Traded By the All-Star Break

Ryan Dempster is having one of, if not the, best year of his career with the Chicago Cubs this season.  He is 2-3 this season but has a 2.31 ERA on the year.  He has been one of the few bright spots for the Cubs in a dismal season that finds them with the worst record in baseball at the time of this article.  Yet, Dempster may not be with the team even through the July 31st trade deadline.

According to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs are ready to start trading players.  It would seem that no one is off limits and Ryan Dempster could be the first big name to go.  The organization is obviously re-building, but Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer plan to rebuild it with their own vision.  They can do that without just about any player on the current 25-man roster.

Dempster could be a very attractive trade candidate this July.  His pitching this season is something any team in contention could use, but with injuries and the closing gap between them and the Angels, the Rangers may be a prime candidate.  The only question would be how much the Rangers can spend.  They spent a lot during the offseason and Dempster is due $14 million this year, of which the Cubs will have already paid a good chunk.  He is a free agent at the end of the season.

Numerous other teams could be interested in Dempster despite a proven track record of consistency.  He’s pitching well this season, but he has a career ERA of 4.34 and hasn’t posted and ERA under 3.65 since 2006.  For a half-year rental though, Dempster may be worth it to help a team push their way into the postseason.

Dempster is not the only well-known player the Cubs may trade, but he will probably be the first.  Theo Epstein has made no secret of his intentions to move players and start building for a consistently successful future.

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