The regular season is quickly approaching, but should the Chicago Cubs continue trying to bolster their lineup? They’ve made a flurry of moves this offseason, yet many feel as though the roster could be more complete. With few left-handed bats on the roster, would it make sense to try and acquire one?
The San Diego Padres recently acquired Luke Viot and Matt Beaty, two solid options at first base. These acquisitions have fueled the trade speculation surrounding veteran first baseman, Eric Hosmer. Dennis Lin with The Athletic described:
“Relatively speaking, the easiest solution could be another trade or two. League sources say the Padres are open to discussing their catchers, with four on their 40-man roster, and some of their starting pitching depth. And with Luke Voit, Profar, and Beaty all options at first base, San Diego continues to explore potential trades involving Eric Hosmer.”
Trading Hosmer makes sense for the Padres, but would it benefit the Cubs? Hosmer has been incredibly consistent at the plate throughout his career. His veteran presence would also be a plus for the Cubs’ young core. The drawbacks to acquiring Hosmer would be his large contract and age. Hosmer has 4 seasons remaining on an 8-year, $144 million contract. In the contract’s final year, Hosmer will be 35 years old and an age-induced dropoff in production may not be worth the financial risk.
Alfonso Rivas is having an impressive spring for the Cubs. The left-handed first baseman could be another reason to stay away from Hosmer. In 23 plate appearances, Rivas has maintained a .368 batting average this spring. The Cubs may choose to wait and see if his production can carry into the regular season.
For now, the Cubs may be better off steering clear of Hosmer. The club has not been overly willing to hand out big contracts like the New York Mets and other big market teams. This could lead one to believe they won’t be super aggressive in acquiring one via trade. For now, Frank Schwindel, Alfonso Rivas, and Patrick Wisdom will hold down 1st base responsibilities for the Cubs.
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