The New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs have had discussions about a possible trade involving the Yankees starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, according to 670 The Score’s Julie DiCaro.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees apparently discussed a possible trade during the off-season that included Eovaldi.
Yankees, Cubs Discussed Possible Trade for Nathan Eovaldi
The Cubs have the means and ability to make any deal to fill a need they feel they might have before the trade deadline. After all, they have the prospects to do it.
One area of the team that the Cubs could look to upgrade is their starting rotation. Other than Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, Chicago’s ace, Jake Arrieta, has been perhaps the best pitcher in the league. Jason Hammel has done an excellent job thus far for the Cubs. Jon Lester, John Lackey, and Kyle Hendricks have all been extremely solid as well. To look at their starting rotation, most fans and experts would say there’s no need for an upgrade. Maybe, maybe not.
The trade deadline is nearly two months away, and if the Yankees do decide to put Eovaldi on the market, he could help them acquire some much needed prospects for an aging team. As far as the Cubs, a deal for Eovaldi could make their rotation even better than it already is, and when you have a major league roster as talented as the one the Cubs have, winning a championship for the first time in over a 100 years is a top priority.
Eovaldi, 26, has shown significant improvement since the Yankees acquired him in a five-player deal prior to the start of the 2015 season. The hard throwing right-hander has a fastball that has topped out at 102 mph, while averaging 96.9 mph this season. Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild has worked extensively with the former Marlins flame-thrower in an effort to expand his arsenal.
He now features one of the American League‘s premier splitters, which has become one of his best pitches, along with a nasty slider. It’s a huge part of his current success, and the reason he’s seen a jump in his strikeout rate.
The Yankees might feel that the best time to deal one of their most effective pitchers is now, while his production is on the rise. He’s set to become a free agent in 2018, and chances are he would command a big pay day.
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