Cubs Should Go All-In for Braves Ace in Blockbuster Trade To Fix Rotation

The Chicago Cubs are having an excellent season so far, but to help ensure they are in the best position to succeed in October, they will have to make some upgrades.

This winter, the front office did an excellent job of adding talent to help get this franchise over the hump. So far, the moves have paid off for the most part, with Kyle Tucker especially being an NL MVP candidate.

Unfortunately, the Cubs also suffered a significant blow when starting pitcher Justin Steele was lost for the season with an elbow injury.

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The southpaw was one of the top pitchers on the team, and his loss is tough one. While they have done a good job of winning games without him, losing a front-end pitcher can cripple a club come October.

With Chicago being down a key starter, they will likely be aggressive on the trade market to try and find a replacement. While there are always going to be some good pitchers available, they need an ace if they want to be a true threat.

When looking at potential options, arguably the one worth going all-in for would be Atlanta Braves ace and the reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale.

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The Braves have been one of the more shocking disappointments this year, with the franchise still well under .500. While it’s unclear if they will be sellers or hope that once they get healthy they will make a run, moving Sale could make sense for them if they are out of contention.

So far this season, Sale has totaled a 4-4 record and 2.79 ERA in 14 starts. While those might not be the same type of numbers he had last year, they are still very strong and he would be a great addition.

However, the cost to land him would be pricy.

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Sale has an affordable $18 million club option for next year, that should help increase his potential trade value for Atlanta, likely making him an expensive addition from a financial and asset standpoint.

The Cubs are fortunate to have one of the best farm systems in baseball, so if they choose to make another massive splash, they can do it.

With the team needing an elite starter, going all-in for Sale makes a lot of sense.

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