Rumors: Cubs considering a trade for Bo Bichette |
Among the many moves the Cubs need to make this offseason, the 3B position is not discussed enough. Since the Cubs traded away Kris Bryant, the Cubs have been looking for an everyday 3B, but have yet to have had luck to this point. David Bote was an option a few years ago, but after doing next to nothing offensively in 2022, the Cubs released him before signing him back on a minor-league deal.
Patrick Wisdom has been considered an option for the past three seasons, but his high strikeout rate makes him a liability to start every day. Nick Madrigal is a great defensive player, but his lack of offense makes it challenging to play him at the hot corner. Ideally, the Cubs would love for Christopher Morel or someone else in their system to prove they can handle the 3B duties long-term, but until that time comes, they need to address the situation. One of the names linked to the Cubs for the better part of two seasons has been Matt Chapman, who is now a free agent. Known for his platinum glove abilities on defense, Chapman is coming off of a down season offensively, but still put up a good offensive season. Given his track record at the plate, there is no reason to believe the offensive numbers won't return, as he would fit nicely in the Cubs lineup. You have also heard Justin Turner's name linked to the Cubs, but despite his excellent season with Boston a year ago, Turner is nearly 40 years old, and the Cubs may not want to sign someone that old. Should the free agent market not be the direction the Cubs go, they could look at making a trade, and that is where the Toronto Blue Jays come into play. According to reports, the Cubs and Blue Jays have been discussing Bo Bichette as a possible trade piece, with the Cubs considering using him at third should they make that deal. Son of former Colorado Rockies OF Dante Bichette, Bo has been one of the faces of the Blue Jays franchise for the past several seasons and has put together a great run of success. If you remember back to when the Cubs got Dansby Swanson last offseason, MLB Insider Jon Morosi was the one who predicted that signing to happen and was the only one on top of it from day one. Going further, Morosi mentioned Bichette as a fallback play if the Cubs didn't get Swanson, so he has been linked to the Cubs for two years. This is what Morosi said on 670 THE SCORE last December regarding Bichette. “Nobody has told me, ‘Hey, Bo Bichette is available,’ but like a lot of things in this industry, if you are getting closer to free agency and there’s no word of there being a (contract) extension in place, people start to ask, people start to wonder,” Morosi said. “I don’t think the Jays are there yet, but if both of those shortstops, Correa and Swanson, don’t go to the Cubs and the Cubs are very, very motivated to put a ton of their prospect value into a deal … I just believe there are some scenarios – not now – but later in the offseason in which the Jays would at least entertain the possibility of a Bo Bichette trade.” Why would we bring up a quote like this from a year ago, especially since the Cubs already have Swanson at SS? According to a few rumors on Tuesday, the Cubs and Blue Jays have started to engage in Bichette trade talks with the intent that he would become their everyday 3B. Signed through 2025, the Cubs would have his services for at least two seasons, but trading for him would cost the Cubs a ton. Not your prototypical 3B, Bichette is only 26 years old and could be another young building block for the Cubs franchise. He has all the tools to be one of the better players in the league and has shown that on occasions since breaking into the MLB. Since the 2019 season, Bichette's rookie season, he has never batted below .290 with three seasons of a .300 average or better. That included his career-best .306 average this season as Bichette is becoming a complete hitter. Along with the great averages come consistent power numbers, as he has had 20 homers or more in the past three seasons. That included a 20 homer 73 RBI campaign this season, solid but still down from his 24 homers in 2022 and his career-high 29 homers and 102 RBIs in 2021. Bichette also has the speed to steal a ton of bases, as he stole a career-high 25 bases in 21 but has only had 10 in the past two seasons. As mentioned above, should Bichette move to third, he wouldn't be your typical 3B, but he would be someone worth giving a shot to. You know you will get a player capable of producing at the plate via the power but also someone who knows how to hit, as indicated by his .296 career average. However, the one part of his game that needs to be discussed more is his plate discipline and contact ability. While his walk rates are always 7% or less, which is below the league average, he counters that with a strikeout rate under 20%, which is below the league average. The Cubs need more of that, so you can see the fit. Trading for Bichette won't come cheap, and Nico Hoerner's name was mentioned in the deal. The Cubs wouldn't do that, especially when they extended him last season. However, Morel could be the centerpiece of that deal, knowing that he has experience at second base. Owen Caissie also mentioned his name in that deal as the Blue Jays may look to get one of the Cub's primary power bats in return. No matter what happens, it is clear that the Cubs are considering all options to improve their team.
