Theo Epstein and the Chicago Cubs have been relatively quiet so far this offseason, but that does not mean that the team has not been considering making moves. While Ben Zobrist has been an important piece of the roster over the last couple of seasons, he may be one of the players that they are considering moving.
According to a report from Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Cubs have considered trading Zobrist this offseason.
With a strict and inflexible budget in place, that’s the reality Epstein and the Cubs have faced this winter. It’s one of the reasons that as counterintuitive as it may have seemed, they’ve bandied about the idea of trading Ben Zobrist this offseason to free up some money to address other needs.
Zobrist has been an important bat for the Cubs, who do not have a ton of contact hitters. He has also been an important utility man for Joe Maddon and company since joining the team.
Last season with the Cubs, Zobrist ended up batting .305 to go along with nine home runs and 58 RBI's.
Those numbers would be tough to lose for Chicago. Despite the talent and ability to play multiple positions, the Cubs did add Daniel Descalso this offseason. Descalso is the same kind of player and could help the team fill the role that Zobrist has had over the last couple years.
At 37 years old, Zobrist will still be a player of interest for many teams. He is consistent and is an excellent leader for the clubhouse.
Chicago may not end up moving Zobrist, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on moving forward.
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