Regardless of their postseason accolades or their home-run bashing reliance, the New York Yankees put together one of the more solid seasons for an MLB team in 2019. But with the health of some of their superstars and the need to always keep up with their competition, a trade for a current member of the Chicago Cubs could go a long way to helping them repeat their success in 2020 and beyond.
For Kyle Schwarber, his time as a member of the Cubs has been rocky, although his 2019 campaign has seen him completely tear the cover off of the ball while playing improved but still shoddy defense in the outfield. Without a true guarantee of a starting spot in 2020 even with how well he played this season, he may be wanting to get out of Wrigley and to go to a team that can offer him a better opportunity to play, succeed and even get paid.
Schwarber is arbitration-eligible for another two seasons, not becoming a true free agent until after the 2021season, which means that the former Indiana Hoosier holds a ton of value for any time that would be looking to acquire him. For the Cubs, if they do decide to move on from Schwarber, any return package would instantly improve their team or their minor-league system, depending on what type of player(s) they are focusing their scouting efforts on.
The Yankees would have a need for Schwarber’s bat for sure, as the second team to reach 300 home runs this season can never have too much firepower at the plate. The problem, here, is where he slots into this roster in terms of earning regular playing time and even a starting role.
While not wanting to stick him into the outfield, Giancarlo Stanton, Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge man the outfield from left to right, and Schwarber’s below-average defensive skills do not jump off of the page to move any one of those three around. Schwarber’s limited range and not-good speed make him a corner outfielder by trade, and he would most likely be a better fit in right field with the short porch, but left field would most likely not be much different for him either.
For the designated hitter spot, that role is currently held down by the parrot man, Edwin Encarnacion, and his 2020 team option looks a bit up in the air at this moment. While $20 million is no money to sneeze at, for a team that is consistently over the tax mark and paying more on top of their salary numbers, if they feel that Schwarber would efficiently replace the production of Encarnacion, then moving him for Schwarber would make sense.
To compare both of the players financially, Schwarber’s arbitration deal was only for $3.39 million, which is a drop in the bucket compared to the albatross of a deal that Encarnacion is on. Production-wise, however, surprisingly sides with Schwarber, as his 38 long balls, 92 runs driven in and a 2.26 WAR supersede all of Encarnacion’s numbers this year.
In his age-36 season, Encarnacion has once again produced big-time power numbers – 34 home runs, 86 runs driven in and a 2.08 WAR – which are impressive, especially for a DH-only player who’s sole role is put lumber to the ball. To save a smidge under $17 million, the team could easily look to move on from the former Cleveland Indian, Toronto Blue Jay, and Seattle Mariner third baseman and DH, and that buyout penalty would only be $5 million.
In terms of a return package, the Yankees, who surprisingly have not given away all of their top-flight prospects in trades lately, have a decent farm system that could combine with a major-league caliber player or two to fulfill a deal for Schwarber.
Outfielder Clint Frazier, who has been relegated to the minors even though he is more than capable of playing at the major-league level, has four more years of team control and would be able to slide into Schwarber’s spot in left field for the Cubs. Combined with Frazier would be someone like catcher Anthony Seigler, who has only played at A-level ball but has the potential to become a solid contact, switch-hitting catcher who actually is a switch-pitcher capable of hitting the 80s with a fastball as well.
Seigler has been relegated to catching down in the minors, and the Cubs could fulfill his potential by bringing him up slowly with the premise that he will eventually become this team’s backstop of the future.
If the Cubs and Yankees engage in another big trade, with their last large deal being the Aroldis Chapman deal, then Schwarber could easily be turning in his blue and red hat for blue and white pinstriped jersey.
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