Cubs’ Insider Predicts a Rafael Devers Trade
Yes. Yes. More. Yes. Will it into existence. Yes. Please. Yes.
Earlier this week I wrote about CBS writer Matt Snyder predicting that the will Cubs trade for Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers at some point during the 2023 season and then sign him to a huge contract extension.
The Devers trade rumors have been ramping up lately because the Red Sox have reportedly been “galaxies apart” in contract negotiations with their star infielder this offseason. That comes off the heels of giving Xander a lowball offer during the 2022 season and then getting largely outbid for him in free agency by the San Diego Padres. Let’s also not forget that this same Red Sox front office traded away Mookie Betts because they didn’t want to give him as much money as he was looking for a few years ago, too.
So yeah, Devers will keep popping up in rumors and they won’t stop until he signs an extension. Cubs beat reporter Sahadev Sharma doesn’t think Boston is going to keep him and one of Sharma’s predictions for the 2023, is the Cubs trading for Rafael Devers.
Via The Athletic.
But the bet here is that Boston fails to extend Rafael Devers and Hoyer identifies him as the missing piece to an emerging team. Obviously the preference for Hoyer would be to just pay for Devers in free agency, but if he becomes available at the deadline, he has to consider being aggressive there as well. Devers would be the middle-of-the-order bat this team so desperately needs and plays third base, an obvious area of need. Will his defense hold up over whatever the lifetime of his contract will be? Who cares! The kid can rake. He’ll be 27 and seems to be hitting his stride offensively as an impact bat.
YES! YES! YES!
Listen, I know we all love the prospects, but these trades for star players keep being one-sided. Guess who wins? The team who gets the established MLB player. I’m tired of seeing other teams go out there and aggressively pursue good players in trades and not be afraid of dealing away a prospect or two, while the Cubs sit on the sidelines. And yes, it’s not like the Cubs have had a good minor league system in a while, but guess what, they do now. I am still disgusted any time I’m reminded about the St. Louis Cardinals not only getting away with highway robbery by trading for Paul Goldschmidt from the Arizona Diamondbacks, but also fleecing the Colorado Rockies for Nolan Arenado.
It’s the Cubs turn dammit!
Devers is so good. Remember how MLB messed around with the baseballs in 2022, and all of a sudden players across the league started to hit fewer home runs and less power overall because of it? Well, Devers was still a top-20 hitter in ISO, and was top-10 in the American League in slugging percentage and wRC+. The Cubs would be getting a top-10 third baseman in all of MLB.
Since the start of 2018, Devers’ first full season in the majors, he ranks sixth in home runs, 10th in wRC+, fourth in slugging %, seventh in batting average and sixth in fWAR among all third basemen.
Right now, the Cubs have a top-10 farm system, but their top-rated prospects are outfielders. The other area of strength in the minors are the pitchers. Where’s the star power missing? There’s not really anyone knocking down the door to come in and play third base for the Cubs for the next 10 years. Rafael Devers is a perfect fit for the Cubs right now, in 2024 and for however long a contract is for him.
And that’s the other thing about being aggressive for Devers and getting a contract done with him quickly. It’s not like the Cubs have a lot of long-term money they’re tied to. Also, as Sharma brings up, the Cubs could have about $100 million come off their payroll after the 2023 season with opt outs and declined options.
There is just no excuse for the Cubs not to be in on Devers if the Red Sox do eventually put him on the trade block. So, let’s obviously cheer on the Cubs in 2023, and at the same time root for the demise of the Boston Red Sox.