Cubs Interested in Surprising Trade With Division Rival for Gold Glove Infielder

The Chicago Cubs are expected to be one of the busier teams over the course of the next couple of weeks as the trade deadline approaches.

In a competitive National League where the Cubs look like they could be one of the serious contenders, they need to be willing to do whatever it takes if they want to make a deep run this October.

With rumors flying around in every which direction this time of year, Chicago has been mostly linked to potential deals for pitchers, which is what Jed Hoyer has stated they will be looking to acquire.

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Make no mistake, the Cubs do need pitching especially in the starting rotation, but they also could surprise some and try to make upgrades to their offense, defense or both.

The latest rumor for Chicago is an interesting one.

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According to both Francys Romero last week and Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this past weekend, the Cubs have checked in with the Pittsburgh Pirates on a possible trade for former Gold Glove-winning third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.

Hayes, who has been in the big leagues with the Pirates since 2020, is an outstanding defender. But for two consecutive years now, he has produced next to nothing at the plate.

In 83 games this season, he has slashed .243/.292/.299 with two home runs and 19 RBI.

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Last year was even worse for Hayes with an OPS+ of just 61. However, he has had seasons where he produced with the bat in his hands.

In 2023, Hayes slashed .271/.309/.453 with 15 home runs and 61 RBI while winning a Gold Glove on defense. From 2022-2023, he played a total of 260 games and was responsible for a bWAR of 8.4.

From a depth standpoint, having an elite defender who can provide a tremendous glove anywhere it's needed could make sense depending on what the return is.

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After signing a hefty pre-arbitration extension, Hayes is under team control until 2030 for an average of $7.5 million until a $12 million club option for 2030.

It's a lot to commit to for a player who has not hit well, so it remains to be seen just how real the interest for Hayes is from the Chicago side of trade negotiations which will keep on heating up over the next couple weeks.

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