Cubs 'realistic' trade idea sends Seiya Suzuki to Mariners for 4.79 ERA starter

The Chicago Cubs are in great shape this season after a shaky period. The club is back in the thick of the Wild Card race, and they even have a chance to retake the NL Central lead from the Milwaukee Brewers.

But, to do so, the Cubs need to get some help at the MLB trade deadline. Ideally, the Cubs find a way to improve both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Of the two, the rotation is a much more pressing issue for Chicago.

That's why Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller proposed a trade idea that would have the Cubs land a former All-Star starting pitcher from the Seattle Mariners. However, it would come at a huge cost: giving up Seiya Suzuki.

Cubs trade idea lands Mariners All-Star SP for Seiya Suzuki

"Realistic Trade: Seattle Mariners acquire OF Seiya Suzuki from Chicago Cubs for RHP Luis Castillo," Miller proposed.

Luis Castillo was once one of the better starters in baseball, but he's struggled this season, posting a 4.79 ERA with -0.5 bWAR and a 3-7 record.

Seattle would move him due to their incredible starting rotation depth, the ability to get out of the final few years of his five-year, $108 million contract through 2027, and a 2028 vesting option.

While he's been better lately, posting a 3.25 ERA in his last nine outings across 44.1 innings pitched with 40 strikeouts and a 3.20 FIP, giving up Suzuki to get him would be al ot.

The beloved Cubs outfielder has been great once again this season. He has 15 home runs, a .266 batting average, 77 hits, and 2.5 bWAR on the year in the final season of his five-year, $85 million contract.

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As an impending free agent, the Cubs could consider trading him. He does have a no-trade clause, so any deal would have to be given the okay by Suzuki.

That's one big hurdle to this trade idea becoming a reality. The other is that this deal wouldn't really be worth it for the Cubs.

Losing Suzuki, a key cog of the offense, whose .834 OPS ranks third on the team among hitters with at least 100 at-bats, would be a massive loss for the Cubs.

While it might make sense to trade Suzuki as a player hitting free agency to get the most in return for him, that only applies to sellers. The Cubs have little reason to trade Suzuki, especially for a pitcher like Castillo, who is 33 years old and regressing.

This "realistic" trade idea from Miller might make sense on paper, and especially from the Mariners' perspective. But, for the Cubs, this would be a terrible move, and one that would surely be controversial for Cubs fans who've grown to love Suzuki.

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