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  6. article_body => "<p>As the Cubs look to retool their roster and improve a depleted farm system, it\u2019s evident a member of the team\u2019s core position player group may get traded this offseason. That player could be catcher Willson Contreras.<\/p>\n<p>Thursday, <em>The Athletic\u2019s <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/1433848\/2019\/12\/05\/lets-make-a-deal-can-the-cubs-find-another-like-minded-team-to-swing-a-willson-contreras-trade\/\" target=\"_blank\">Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (subscription required)<\/a> reported the Astros \u201cwent into this offseason\u201d with interest in Contreras.<\/p>\n<p>Majority of Houston\u2019s core position players are under contract for 2020 \u2014 like the Cubs \u2014 though the Astros currently lack a catcher. Both starter Robinson Chirinos and backup Martin Maldonado \u2014 who briefly was a Cub in 2019 \u2014 are free agents.<\/p>\n<p>Chirinos&nbsp;hit .238 in 2019 with a solid .347 on-base percentage and 17 home runs. Maldonado is limited offensively (.213\/.293\/.378 in 2019) but has a cannon for an arm and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017. He finished 8th in MLB last season in Defensive Runs Saved (8) among all catchers. Chirinos (3) tied for 20th and&nbsp;has built great rapport with 2019 AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Astros could look to bring Chirinos and\/or Maldonado this offseason. Neither will command long-term deals on the open market&nbsp;and they don't come with expensive price tags. The tandem worked well for the Astros in 2019, but they&nbsp;could stabilize the position for the future by acquiring someone like Contreras. He\u2019s only 27 \u2014 younger than Chirinos (35) and Maldonado (33) \u2014 and is one of the top offensive catchers in baseball. Contreras also has a cannon, but his defense (-1 DRS in 2019) and pitch-framing are works in progress.<\/p>\n<p>Contreras has plenty of value for the Cubs, so they won't just trade him for the sake of doing so. The return package would have to be sufficient, whether it includes prospects, big league players or both. And as a reminder, trade rumors are referred to as such for a reason. One shouldn't overreact every time a Cubs player pops up in a report.<\/p>\n<p>\"The nature of any offseason, there are gonna be rumors about your major-league players and even your best players and that doesn't necessarily mean they're true,\" Cubs president <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/chicago\/cubs\/trade-rumors-swirl-around-cubs-theo-epstein-advises-consume-mouthful-salt-mlb-hot-stove-bryant-contreras\" target=\"_blank\">Theo Epstein said at last month's GM Meetings<\/a>. \"No one knows how this winter's going to evolve. Even us. We have no idea who will be available for us, so I think taking any name that comes up in a trade rumor with a mouthful of salt is appropriate \u2014&nbsp;not just a grain because I think they're usually untrue.\"<\/p>\n<em><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2PxAcKd\">Click here<\/a> to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/chicago\/cubs\">Cubs games<\/a> easily on your device.<\/em> \n"
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Cubs

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Cubs

As the Cubs look to retool their roster and improve a depleted farm system, it’s evident a member of the team’s core position player group may get traded this offseason. That player could be catcher Willson Contreras.

Thursday, The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (subscription required) reported the Astros “went into this offseason” with interest in Contreras.

Majority of Houston’s core position players are under contract for 2020 — like the Cubs — though the Astros currently lack a catcher. Both starter Robinson Chirinos and backup Martin Maldonado — who briefly was a Cub in 2019 — are free agents.

Chirinos hit .238 in 2019 with a solid .347 on-base percentage and 17 home runs. Maldonado is limited offensively (.213/.293/.378 in 2019) but has a cannon for an arm and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017. He finished 8th in MLB last season in Defensive Runs Saved (8) among all catchers. Chirinos (3) tied for 20th and has built great rapport with 2019 AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. 

The Astros could look to bring Chirinos and/or Maldonado this offseason. Neither will command long-term deals on the open market and they don't come with expensive price tags. The tandem worked well for the Astros in 2019, but they could stabilize the position for the future by acquiring someone like Contreras. He’s only 27 — younger than Chirinos (35) and Maldonado (33) — and is one of the top offensive catchers in baseball. Contreras also has a cannon, but his defense (-1 DRS in 2019) and pitch-framing are works in progress.

 

Contreras has plenty of value for the Cubs, so they won't just trade him for the sake of doing so. The return package would have to be sufficient, whether it includes prospects, big league players or both. And as a reminder, trade rumors are referred to as such for a reason. One shouldn't overreact every time a Cubs player pops up in a report.

"The nature of any offseason, there are gonna be rumors about your major-league players and even your best players and that doesn't necessarily mean they're true," Cubs president Theo Epstein said at last month's GM Meetings. "No one knows how this winter's going to evolve. Even us. We have no idea who will be available for us, so I think taking any name that comes up in a trade rumor with a mouthful of salt is appropriate — not just a grain because I think they're usually untrue."

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