Theo Epstein Admits Cubs Will Seriously Consider Offloading Key Players at Trade Deadline

The Chicago Cubs missed the playoffs in 2019 after four consecutive years of October baseball, and with the NL Central arms race heating up, they could be at risk of missing out again in 2020.

The Cubs had a quiet offseason, failing to make any marquee acquisitions, and Theo Epstein recently indicated the club will have to be "brutally honest" about whether or not they can compete in 2020 when the July trade deadline comes around. Should they be out of the hunt, Epstein suggested they may undergo a fire sale.

Players such as Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Yu Darvish are among those who could be on the trading block if the Cubs have a slow start to the season. Bryant was shopped all offseason, though no deal ever materialized, and the third baseman remains under team control through the 2021 season after losing his grievance with the team regarding service time.

Rizzo has a club option in 2021, and both Baez and Schwarber are entering their final arbitration years in 2021. If the Cubs know they cannot afford to keep this entire core, waiting around too long could lead to a situation where the returns are much smaller than they could be if the trades are made this summer.

Epstein said he will see how his team is doing when the deadline nears. However, a large return for someone like Bryant may still be worth it even if the Cubs are indeed World Series contenders. That could be a polarizing move and why Epstein was brought in to make the tough decisions.

It's a tough pill to swallow, but failing to act at the deadline this season could set the Cubs back for years to come.