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MLB Insider Names Cubs' Single Biggest Trade Priority Ahead of Deadline

By Devon Platana

An MLB insider has named the Chicago Cubs' single biggest trade priority ahead of the deadline.
An MLB insider has named the Chicago Cubs' single biggest trade priority ahead of the deadline. / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
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The Chicago Cubs' 2022 MLB postseason hopes were crushed not too long after the new season began. The Cubs are among the worst teams in the league while their 32-48 record positions them as sellers ahead of August's trade deadline.

While the Cubs have several players that'll demand attention on the trade market, ESPN's David Schoenfield is prioritizing one piece above the rest. The MLB insider says that Chicago should prioritize moving catcher Willson Contreras above everyone else in the coming weeks.

Cubs Trade Rumors

The main reason why Schoenfield sees the Cubs as needing to move Contreras is due to his becoming a free agent at the end of the season. The organization doesn't want to lose the veteran catcher for nothing, making a deal in the next month crucial.

Of all the available catchers out there, Contreras is likely the best. The 30-year-old has slashed well for a catch (.274/.392/.498) through 71 games, driving in 35 runs while hammering 13 home runs. He's also drawn 35 walks already — 17 fewer than he had last season in 57 less games.

Schoenfield cites that clubs like the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets could be in the Contreras sweepstakes. Beyond his impressive offensive stats, he'll be in demand for his defense as a backstop, owning a .993 fielding percentage in 386 innings behind home plate in 2022.

Even though Contreras will be a free agent, he's more than talented enough to net the Cubs a quality prospect or two ahead of the deadline. His heart is in Chi-Town, but holding on to him beyond the deadline and losing him for free in the offseason would be a colossal mistake by the Cubs.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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