Yankees: 3 trades with Cubs that would be perfect if Chicago sells

2. Ian Happ to Yankees for Deivi Garcia and Estevan Florial

We’re not sure what’s happened to Ian Happ, but perhaps a change of scenery can do him good. The Yankees need a lefty-hitting center fielder, so come on down! We’ll take almost anyone at this point.

Sure, the Cubs might be hesitant to trade the slugger at his lowest possible value (he’s batting .184 with a .631 OPS), but how much longer do they keep trying with him? His rookie campaign in 2017 was a hit, but since then he’s either struggled or only contributed meaningfully in short spurts. Perhaps it’s time to move on.

Why not talk to the Yankees about one of their broken spare parts? Deivi Garcia, who was once believed to be a mid-rotation MLB starter, has fallen off a cliff at Triple-A after impressing at the major league level in 2020. We’ve seen what he’s capable of. Maybe he’s fallen flat in the minors because of his expedited move to the big league roster last year. He could help the Cubs rotation right now and for the next five years.

Florial is also almost MLB-ready. He got the bump to Triple-A after slugging the lights out at Double-A. He’ll probably need the rest of the year at Triple-A to find himself, but he’s a lefty slugger who can play all three outfield spots and has primarily held down center field the last couple of years.

This isn’t exactly a sexy trade for either side, but it helps with each team’s need and could provide a narrative change for these players. Perhaps the Cubs throw in a top-15 prospect (OF Cole Roederer), too, and call it a day?