With less than a month remaining before MLB’s July 31 trade deadline, Chicago Cubs trade rumors are beginning to swirl. With the Cubs expected to sell due to their spiral out of playoff contention, the top two names circulating are Cody Bellinger and Nico Hoerner. Any prior speculation on whether the Cubs would buy or sell has seemingly ended after losing six of their last seven series. That being said, here are the latest rumors and landing spots for Cody Bellinger and Nico Hoerner as of now.
Potential Landing Spots for Cody Bellinger
New York Yankees
Bellinger has drawn interest already from the Yankees, according to The Athletic’s Levi Weaver. The Yankees have lost 7 of their last 10 games and have surrendered first place in the AL East to the Baltimore Orioles. However, the Yankees are still 54-33 and only trail Baltimore by one game while also holding the top Wild Card spot. The Yankees will definitely be looking to add before the deadline to put themselves back on the right track.
Bellinger could be a solution to the Yankees’ current skid. Not only does he play outfield, but he has played first base this year with the Cubs. Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo fractured his right forearm in a game a few weeks ago and is supposed to miss about two months. The Yankees recalled their No. 12 prospect Ben Rice in response, but Bellinger would provide an immediate upgrade. He hasn’t produced numbers like last year, but Bellinger is still hitting a respectable .270/.329/.421 with nine home runs and 35 RBI. A change of scenery and a more potent lineup could give him many more opportunities to drive in runs.
Atlanta Braves
On June 30, Fansided’s Bryce Naughton suggested a possible deal with the Braves involving Bellinger. While there has been no public confirmation of interest, the deal would make sense considering the Braves’ offensive struggles compared to last season. Atlanta is currently in second place in the NL East at 46-37, nine games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. However, they hold a three-game lead for the top Wild Card spot. The problem is that the Braves offense has been a shadow of what it was last season when they led MLB in nearly every offensive category.
This year, however, they are in the middle of the pack in batting average, home runs, runs scored, and OPS. Some of this has to do with regression from players like Austin Riley and Matt Olson, who are well off their pace from last year’s numbers. The season-ending knee injury to Ronald Acuña Jr. at the end of May was a big blow to the offense as well. Cody Bellinger could fill that gap in center field, where he’s made most of his starts this year. He can also play right field when the injured Michael Harris II returns.
Other Purely Speculative Scenarios
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer provided a speculative list of possible landing spots for Cody Bellinger, complete with mock trades. The other teams he mentions as potential suitors include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers. The Rangers and Yankees are the only teams that have shown interest in a possible trade, coming in the form of increased scouting presence around the Cubs.
Potential Landing Spots for Nico Hoerner
Seattle Mariners
Jon Morosi of MLB Network stated that the Mariners would be an ideal destination for Hoerner. The first-place Mariners (47-40) currently hold a three-game lead over the surging Houston Astros in the AL West. The Mariners haven’t gotten much production offensively out of second baseman Jorge Polanco, who is hitting just .193/.284/.293 this season.
How are things trending for the Rangers and Cubs as we enter trade deadline month?@jonmorosi has the latest on #MLBCentral. pic.twitter.com/w0ZDRf9MWw
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 1, 2024
Hoerner has also struggled offensively this year, currently hitting just .245. However, he still provides an upgrade over Polanco. Hoerner would also give Seattle a threat on the basepaths. He currently has 14 stolen bases, a year after recording a career-high 43 steals. Another intriguing aspect of Hoerner’s game is his extremely low strikeout rate. The Mariners have struck out a league-high 888 times entering Wednesday night. Hoerner currently has a superb 11.4% strikeout rate and has never struck out more than 83 times in a season.
Hoerner won his first career Gold Glove Award last year and is excellent at second base. Jon Morosi discussed the potential trade on MLB Central earlier this week.
“You look at a team like the Seattle Mariners needing a second baseman… not just this year but beyond as well,” Morosi said. “The Cubs have struggled so much to get any kind of traction that I think they at least have to think about it.”
Replacing Cody Bellinger and Nico Hoerner
If the Cubs do indeed trade one or both of these starters, it will open up the opportunity to call up one of their thriving prospects. Infielder Matt Shaw, who was reportedly promoted to Triple-A Iowa today from Tennessee, is the likely choice to play second base if Hoerner is dealt. The Cubs’ No. 2 prospect hit .251/.361/.428 in Double-A this year while stealing 19 bases.
In the event that Bellinger is dealt, the likely beneficiary would be outfielder Owen Caissie or outfielder Alexander Canario. Canario currently has 15 home runs and 41 RBI in Iowa to go along with an .860 OPS. Caissie has also done well in Iowa this season, hitting a robust .279/.388/.464, good for an .835 OPS.
The Cubs currently sit eight games under .500 and 5 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot. As the next few weeks progress, Cody Bellinger and Nico Hoerner will be two huge names to watch.
Photo Credit: © John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
