Jerry Lai - USA Today Sports
Jerry Lai - USA Today Sports

Report: Cubs offering Kyle Schwarber in trade with Tigers


by - Senior Editor -

The defending World Champion Chicago Cubs limped into the All-Star break getting blasted 14-3 by the Pittsburgh Pirates and have a mediocre record of 43-45 to the dismay of their loyal fans. However, there is a shocking report that the Cubs management is dangling slugging outfielder Kyle Schwarber in trade talks with the Detroit Tigers.

According to MLB Roundup's Twitter account on Monday, Chicago inquired about All-Star pitcher Michael Fulmer in a one-to-one swap with Schwarber.

It appears the original source of the report was from Jim Bowden on MLB Radio discussing how the Cubs were trying to trade for pitchers Michael Fulmer and possibly Daniel Norris. Fulmer is currently 9-6 with 3.19 ERA on the season while Norris is 4-7 with a 5.29 ERA.

FYI: I'm not sure I believe this report 100% but the Cubs are truly desperate now for controllable arms with their aging starting rotation.

Cubs President of Operations Theo Epstein had the following take on Schwarber two months ago to reporters.

“If anyone wants to sell their Kyle Schwarber stock, we’re buying,” Epstein said. “If they want to sell low, we’ll buy low. He’s going to have tremendous production at the end of the year. He’s going to have a lot of big hits to help us win games. It just means there’s a lot of hits out there for the rest of the year.

In 2017, Schwarber is batting .178 with 13 homers, 29 RBI, and .300 on-base percentage.

Last season, he hit .412 with a .971 OPS in five games as a hero in the 2016 World Series.

Schwarber hit .246 with 16 home runs, 43 RBIs with an outstanding .842 OPS in only 69 games (273 at-bats) in his rookie season. For his career, he is batting .207 with 28 homers, 71 RBI, and a .325 on-base percentage.

He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round (4th overall) in the 2014 MLB Draft.

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