The Chicago Cubs have had one of the better winters than most of the teams in Major League Baseball with their biggest acquisitions both coming from the Houston Astros where they traded for superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker and All-Star Closer Ryan Pressly.
The Cubs also added valuable depth to their bench by signing utility man Jon Berti to a one-year deal as well as plucking Gage Workman in the Rule 5 Draft and trading for Vidal Brujan to all compete for spots.
The Cubs could still look to add one more piece to their roster in the form of a top-of-the-line starter and with a few options on the trade block to choose from the Cubs should look to trade for Michael King of the San Diego Padres.
Adding a Cy Young finalist in King
The now 29-year-old King was one of the key components that sent Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees last offseason. In his first season with the Padres King was outstanding having a record of 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA, 201 strikeouts, a 139 ERA+ in 173.2 innings, and finished in the top ten for the Cy Young award.
King was even better when looking at his Baseball Savant ranking in the 99th percentile for both his offspeed rung value and average exit velocity at 85.7 mph. He was also ranked in the 97th percentile hard-hit percentage at 30.3%. Coming at hitters with a five-pitch mix, King is primarily a sinker (27.9%), changeup (24.6%), and fastball (24.1%) pitcher with adding a sweeper (17.8%) to give the hitters another look and occasionally adding in a slider (5.6%).
The trade proposal
When looking at the Padres depth chart and minor leaguers they look like they could use a promising young outfielder with a potential to be a force in their lineup.
Padres receive: outfielder Kevin Alcantara (No. 90 MLB prospect)
Cubs receive: right-handed pitcher Michael King
Alcantara is a promising young outfielder who could win multiple Gold Gloves one day with both his fielding and his arm grading at 60/80. Alcantara also displays some pop with grading at 55/80. Spending most of last season in Double and Triple-A only playing in three games at the Major League level where he collected his first major league hit. In 111 games Alcantara had 21 doubles, 14 HRs, and 61 RBI with a slash line of .278/.353/.428 for an OPS of .781. The Padres could use someone like Alcantara in their outfield to pair with their other two elite defenders Jackson Merrill and Fernado Tatis Jr.
The Cubs for their part would be getting the top-of-the-line starter and King would be a great option to slide into the number two spot in the rotation and split up Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele. King is in the final year of his contract before he is expected to be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
King according to Spotrac is expected to make $8.062 million in arbitration for this season and the Padres who are looking to shed payroll are looking to move his salary off their books. This would be a great opportunity for the Cubs to jump on given that is the case and with the Padres not having the best of farm systems, a deal such as thing could look to get done.
King would be a valuable acquisition
Adding King would complete the Chicago Cubs roster and make it one of the stronger rosters in the National League going into the season.
Adding King would give the Cubs one of the better 1-3 for a rotation in all of baseball with both Imanaga and Steele also finishing in the top ten for the Cy Young award.
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