Third base has been the only everyday spot that the Chicago Cubs have not gotten right so far this season after trading Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker deal. This was a move that the organization wouldn’t hesitate to do again, as Tucker has been one of the best hitters in the National League so far this season. The team’s new right fielder being on an expiring contract has made the fanbase uneasy about his future with the franchise, but there is hope that both sides can come to terms on a new deal.
The Cubs have had one of the hottest offenses in all of baseball this season, as they have three players with 10 or more home runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s surge at the plate has been the highlight of Chicago’s season so far, as the center fielder has 11 long balls on the campaign with 30 runs driven in and a .266 batting average.
Chicago currently has a one-game lead in the NL Central on the St. Louis Cardinals, who just had their eight-game winning streak snapped. With division title aspirations set in stone for this group, it is not crazy to already look ahead at the trade deadline. Adding more arms will be a top priority for the front office, but looking at another option at third base wouldn’t be a horrible idea either.
A recent mock trade has the Cubs connected to one of the best pure hitters in baseball. Even though the deal seems far-fetched, it’s worth looking into based on how badly they need help at the hot corner.
Chicago Cubs linked to Rafael Devers in mock trade
Matt Shaw’s big league career did not start out how the organization would have liked it to, and the top prospect is down in Triple-A right now to work on his bat. The position has not been pieced together all that well since Shaw was sent down, but the Cubs haven’t had much of a choice in getting another big league caliber third baseman on the fly.
In a mock trade that FanDuel recently posted on X, the Cubs would be acquiring superstar third baseman Rafael Devers and left-handed pitcher Sean Newcomb from the Red Sox in exchange for Shaw, Moises Ballesteros, pitching prospect Nazier Mule, and Jon Berti.
Rafael Devers and the Red Sox are at odds.
The Cubs have a MAJOR hole at 3B.
Should Chicago & Boston link up on a MASSIVE trade for the 3x All-Star? 😳#BeHereForIt | #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/FFDNJUjJ0f
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) May 9, 2025
Devers was frustrated with his role this season in Boston out of Spring Training after the team signed Alex Bregman to play third base. The slugger was moved to designated hitter on a full-time basis for the Red Sox, and told the team he wouldn’t play first base after Tristan Casas suffered a season-ending injury earlier this month.
Rafael Devers would impact the Cubs’ ability to re-sign Tucker
Devers would be a game changer in Chicago’s lineup and would solve their issues at third base for the long haul. Some question his ability to play a solid third base, but his bat would make up for any fielding blunders. The biggest piece that Cub fans would have to worry about in this deal is Ballesteros. Berti and Shaw wouldn’t be around if Devers was in Chicago anyways, and even though Mule has promise, he is still far away from the big league level.
The biggest issue from both sides in a deal like this is Devers’ contract. He is in the third season of a ten-year, $313 million dollar deal. Boston would have to eat a good chunk of his salary to have a deal in place anywhere, but a team like Chicago would have other problems if a deal like this is on their books. With the goal being to bring back Tucker this offseason along with giving PCA an extension, they wouldn’t be able to accomplish these things with Devers on the team. If the front office were to choose who they would rather have down the road, Tucker should be the choice every single time.
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