The Chicago Cubs (24-20) are moving up the baseball ranks and have established themselves as a potential playoff contender this season and beyond. If they want to keep it that way, they'll need some more starting pitching.
Is Jordan Zimmermann of the Washington Nationals a target for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer?
Trade rumors surrounded Zimmermann in the offseason after the Nats signed Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million deal. The up-and-coming Cubs were one of the first clubs linked to a possible Zimmermann acquisition, but reports soon surfaced that indicated the Nationals were moving forward with their "super rotation."
However, based on various rumors and reports, it's fairly evident Zimmermann will not be re-signing with Washington after 2015 because he rejected a number of contract offers this past offseason. Whether he's traded before this year's deadline or hits the free agent market at season's end, the Cubs are a club to monitor as they look to upgrade their starting rotation.
"The Cubs have kept their eyes on Zimmermann for a long time, identifying him as a top target as they look for potential opportunities to upgrade as this window of contention begins to open," writes Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago.
"The Cubs will get another up-close look at Zimmermann (4-2, 3.52 ERA) on Tuesday night, and it's not too early to start daydreaming about the 29-year-old right-hander in a rotation that already features Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta."
"Chicago also looks like a prime potential landing spot for one of the many good free-agent starters next winter, anyway, with some predicting either a return of Jeff Samardzija or possibly Jordan Zimmermann, who's from neighboring Wisconsin (he's from Auburndale, near Stevens Points)," Jon Heyman of CBS Sports adds.
The right-hander is off to a slow start this season compared to his last three campaigns, but he's been pitching much better this month. After David Price and Johnny Cueto, Zimmermann sits in the next tier of top starters that will be available in the offseason. Price and Cueto could land deals in the $200 million-range, and Mooney notes Zimmermann's camp may use Jon Lester's six-year, $155 million deal as a baseline once negotiations begin.
While it's more than likely Zimmermann remains with the Nationals for the rest of the season, it's hard to rule out a trade until the deadline passes. Washington has had Tanner Roark working out of the bullpen for most of the season, but he recently slipped into the rotation with the injury to Doug Fister. Roark had a breakout year as a starter in 2014. The Nats also have prospects A.J. Cole and Lucas Giolito who will soon be ready to take over on a full-time basis in the near future.
If general manager Mike Rizzo feels the Nationals need to obtain more value in their farm system or address another position on the club's 25-man roster, it's certainly realistic that he looks to deal Zimmermann to acquire what he's looking for and moves someone else into the rotation. The Cubs have plenty of young talent to offer if that were to be the case.
A trade between these two teams is perhaps wishful thinking at this point, but nothing can be ruled out until July 31 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
