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Chicago Cubs: Should Manny Machado be their main trade focus?

By Jason Evans |
The Baltimore Orioles' Manny Machado hits a solo home run against Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer in the third inning during the first game of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Saturday, May 12, 2018. The Orioles won, 6-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images)
The Baltimore Orioles' Manny Machado hits a solo home run against Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer in the third inning during the first game of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Saturday, May 12, 2018. The Orioles won, 6-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images)

Should the Chicago Cubs focus on Manny Machado as their primary trade target before the deadline this year?

Kris Bryant. Manny Machado. Javier Baez. Anthony Rizzo. What an infield. Must see TV every night if you’re a baseball fan. Can the Chicago Cubs pull of this kind of infield? Well…it’s possible.

The Chicago Cubs will take a look at acquiring superstar shortstop Manny Machado, sources say. Machado was speculated by FRS Sports a few weeks back as a likely candidate for the Cubs, with Addison Russell seen as part of a possible package for the Orioles, and word now is that he is the Cubs’ main target at the deadline.

The Chicago Cubs offense is seventh in runs, tenth in average, fourth in on-base percentage, eighth in slugging percentage and seventh in OPS. Adding Manny Machado to that would certainly make their offense better.

Should this be the spot they focus their resources on? In recent years, they have traded top prospects such as Gleyber Torres and Eloy Jimenez and won the World Series two years ago. Those moves on top of having prospects be a part of their team have thinned out their farm system.

The Chicago Cubs main issue may be their starting rotation. Jose Quintana has struggled. Yu Darvish has struggled and is on the DL. Tyler Chatwood has had control issues. The rotation ERA of 3.93 is 12th in baseball. The Chicago Cubs starting staff is 18th in strikeouts and 12th in batting average against.

In October, you need a good offense but also a rotation that’s going to take you places. The way their rotation is set up, they may not have enough firepower to get them there.

Of course, adding Machado to the Cubs lineup could make it look like this:

With an offense like that on a day in and day out basis, you just need your pitching to keep you in the game.

Next: Dee Gordon back at second base?

So yes, if I’m the Chicago Cubs, even if Machado leaves in the off-season, I trade Russell in a deal for Machado. I add Thomas Hatch, or Oscar De La Cruz, or Jose Albertos, or two out of the three, plus another prospect.

Flags fly forever, and when you’re the Chicago Cubs, they really fly. Theo Epstein should go get Manny Machado. If he does, they might just bludgeon their way to their second pennant in three years and maybe their second World Series title in that timespan as well.

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