St. Louis Cardinals: Tough trade targets in the NL Central

Gregory Polanco #25 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after hitting a two run homer during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on September 25, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Gregory Polanco #25 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after hitting a two run homer during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on September 25, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 25: Ian Happ #8 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on September 25, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 25: Ian Happ #8 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on September 25, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ

The Cardinals are in need of power and the Cubs are in another transition that could see them nosedive to the bottom of the division. There is a ton of talk that after Theo Epstein stepped down from the helm of the team, new team president Jed Hoyer might dismantle the core that has struggled in recent years.

Needing to shed money from the books, Ian Happ may be one player that the team looks to move in his first year of arbitration. Happ isn’t the biggest fish to trade for in Chicago, but the 26-year-old is no slouch.

Happ played in 56 games in 2020 and slugged .505 as a switch hitter. Capable of playing anywhere almost anywhere on the diamond, Happ won’t be easy to acquire. But if the Cardinals are looking to grab a player with three years of control who can provide pop in the outfield or at second or third base, Happ is a valuable commodity.

Happ has burned the Cardinals many times and is surely on their radar, it just depends on how deep the Cubs are trying to cut with their impending roster shed.