The Chicago Cubs continue to explore options for help at third base amid uncertainty surrounding Matt Shaw. The rookie is 4-for-32 at-bat in July, with three of those hits coming against the Boston Red Sox this weekend after the All-Star break.
The Cubs have reportedly been keeping tabs on a few starting pitchers and infielders. The Pirates have a potential trade package available in starting pitcher Mitch Keller and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes.
Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Chicago is in a three-way race with the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers for Hayes.
“The New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs have all checked in with the Pirates for third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes,” Nightengale wrote in his column on Sunday.
The Chicago Cubs are looking into Ke’Bryan Hayes
The Pirates are at the bottom of the NL Central with a 39-60 record, and have no shot of reaching the postseason, which makes Pittsburgh a perfect trade partner before the July 31 deadline, as so many other teams with tradeable pieces are still in contention this month.
Hayes, 28, is batting .237 with two home runs and 33 RBI this season. He has eight hits in 45 at-bats in July. The Cubs would hope Hayes’ numbers improve while batting in a better lineup in Chicago.
Hayes makes sense as a target for the Cubs, especially if they can package a deal that gets another arm into the rotation. But as Nightengale noted, two other playoff contenders have an interest in beefing up their lineups this summer, and the price won’t be cheap for a player whose bat isn’t significantly hotter than Shaw’s.
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Chicago Cubs in “extremely strong position” for trade deadline pickups, per insider
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