It’s no secret that one of the biggest weaknesses for the 2017 Chicago Cubs has been pitching.
The starting rotation hasn’t been very good, outside of Jon Lester and Mike Montgomery, and it hasn’t been able to stay healthy either. With the struggles, the Cubs are likely to pursue a starting pitcher before the MLB Trade Deadline.
A likely candidate comes in the form of Oakland Athletic’s starter Sonny Gray.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan, the Cubs are one of the top suitors for the right-handed pitcher but they will have some heavy competition.
Here’s what Passan writes about the Cubs and Gray:
Getting Gray may be easier than the third base-reliever combo. Every team wants someone like him, more because of what they believe he can be rather than what he has been. The …
7. Chicago Cubs have made a habit of doing that, though it’s their starting pitching this season that has failed them and made the acquisition of someone like Gray a priority.
Passan also mentions teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros as major contenders for Gray.
The Cubs do have the prospects to acquire Gray if need be. Obviously the ideal storyline is that the Cubs pitching gets a lot better in the second half of the season and they don’t have to spend one of those assets just yet.
With the call up of Jeimer Candelario due to an injury to Addison Russell, it could be a showcase for teams who are interested in adding an infielder like Candelario.
Lester has been fantastic, Montgomery has been good lately but could head back to the bullpen, Jake Arrieta seems to be pitching better, John Lackey has had ups and downs and Kyle Hendricks has been injured.
Gray is 3-3 in 11 starts this season, posting a 4.45 ERA.
Depending on how the next few weeks go, Chicago could make that move to acquire someone like Gray.
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