Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN discusses potential Soler trade to Mariners


by - Senior Editor -

Cubs young outfielder Jorge Soler might be the odd man out in the team's crowded outfield next season.

Soler batted .238 with 12 homers, 31 RBIs, and an on-base percentage of .333 in 2016. During the postseason, he had only two hits in 13 at-bats with three walks.

ESPN discussed a hypothetical trade of Soler to the Mariners for a young starting pitcher named LHP Luiz Gohara.

"So what will the Cubs do? One thing that seems clear is there’s no room for Soler in 2017 with Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Albert Almora in the outfield," ESPN said. "He’s still more “looks good in a uniform” than an actual good baseball player, but these teams have traded with each other before, and the Mariners need some youth in the outfield."

The Cubs would receive a young lefty starter that has loads of potential.

"As for the Cubs, Gohara is a 20-year-old Brazilian built along the lines of CC Sabathia who finally started to put things together in the Midwest League (1.99 ERA in 10 starts)," ESPN said. "He’s the kind of long-term risk the Cubs can gamble on."

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