I know that the Cubs’ major need before the trade deadline is a quality starting pitcher, perhaps two. But today I want to talk about improving the offense.
Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez has made a career out of demolishing Cubs pitching.
He’s hit 36 home runs (of his career total of 307 against the Cubs, including five this year. Four of those came in the first three games of his season back in March at Chase Field. The 36 homers is the most for any active player against the Cubs (ahead
of Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew McCutchen, who both have 32).
Further, Suárez has 16 home runs in 65 career games at Wrigley Field, his most at any park he has not once called his home park. Granted, all of those came off Cubs pitching and if the Cubs traded for him, he’d no longer be facing those pitchers.
But with Cubs third basemen combining for a .531 OPS, there is no question the team needs an offensive upgrade there.
Suárez would be the perfect addition for a team seemingly destined for a 95-win season and an NL Central title. The Cubs already are near MLB’s top ranks in runs (512, second) and home runs (142, third) and Suárez could be a potent bat in the middle of the lineup. Suárez has hit 31 home runs, more than any Cub, and leads the NL with 78 RBI. His .889 OPS is his best since 2019 and he’s posted 2.9 bWAR to date.
Suárez is a pending free agent and turns 34 Saturday. This would be a pure rental, as the Cubs would certainly hope for Matt Shaw to become the quality hitter in MLB that he was in the minor leagues. If the Cubs deal for Suárez, Shaw could become a backup infielder and Vidal Bruján could be let go. That would make the bench quite righthanded, but also a better bench.
Only about $5 million remains on Suárez’ contract, and the Cubs can easily fit that in. Jed Hoyer has already gone on record as saying finances should not be an issue in improving this team.
Given those conditions (taking all the money and that Suárez is a rental), what would it take to get him from the Diamondbacks?
Would Brandon Birdsell do it? Birdsell’s been injured, but he’s back pitching now and seems close to MLB-ready. There really isn’t much room for him with the Cubs, but the D-backs will probably be looking for starting pitching help with both Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly pending free agents. Maybe it would take another lower-level pitching prospect to finish a deal like this.
Suárez doesn’t have a reputation as a great defender, but he’s not terrible. And he did make this nice play in the All-Star Game [VIDEO].
And one more thing: If the Cubs trade for Suárez, he won’t get traded somewhere else where he might hit more home runs against them. The D-backs and Cubs won’t meet again this year.
Get it done, Jed. While the Cubs do need pitching — and go get some of that too, Jed — this seems like a perfect fit.
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