Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has already begun mapping out a wish list of who to target during this summer’s non-waiver trade deadline, and his primary quarry is all too obvious.
According to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan, atop Cashman’s list is Cubs young slugger Kyle Schwarber:
And now, with Cashman, the New York Yankees’ general manager, controlling the July trade market with his cache of dominant relievers, he gets to covet whomever he pleases. And atop that list is Schwarber, whose monstrous left-handed swing is made for Yankee Stadium.
“Cash thinks he can hit 50 home runs there,” one source with knowledge of the Yankees’ plans said, and, well, that isn’t altogether farfetched.
While Cubs general manager Theo Epstein has ensured that the 23-year-old won’t be traded, Chicago isn’t necessarily in a position to confine, and with a particular need of back-end relief to solidify postseason aspirations, parting ways with Schwarber could be the Cubs only resolution in acquiring either Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman.
Schwarber’s hitting ability already appears to be at an All-Star caliber. As a rookie last season, he hit 16 home runs in 69 games, but Chicago’s surplus of positional talent may leave Schwarber without a place in the field. Currently, Schwarber is rehabbing a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, a season-ending injury that he suffered while playing left field in early April. Despite being promoted as a catcher, Chicago utilized him in the outfield for 43 games, and with suspect defense, the lefty has become more valuable to an American League club that possesses the designated hitter slot.
Moving a substantial hitting piece in exchange for a reliever may seem myopic and dicey, but the Cubs are in win-now mode, with an increasing vulnerability that Cashman and the Yankees hope to take advantage of in the next two weeks.
