Cameron Maybin’s name has emerged as part of trade discussions between the Tigers and Cubs, the Athletic’s Eno Sarris and Brittany Ghiroli report (subscription required). Maybin would be a pure rental piece, as the outfielder is only signed through the 2020 season and is owed roughly $280K for the remaining month of action.
Now a veteran of 14 MLB seasons with eight different teams, Maybin signed a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Tigers last winter in the wake of one of his most productive years at the plate. Maybin his .285/.364/.494 with a career-best 11 home runs over 269 plate appearances with the Yankees in 2019, becoming one of several unheralded bench players to step up big for the injury-riddled Bronx Bombers roster.
Thus far in 2020, Maybin has hit .256/.310/.436 over just 42 PA, as he missed two weeks of action due to a quad injury. Albeit in a very small sample size, Statcast metrics such as hard-hit percentage and barrels indicate that Maybin is continuing the improved solid contract he played last year in New York. Detroit has used Maybin only as a right fielder this season, and while he can still play center in a pinch, the 33-year-old is probably best suited for corner outfield duty at this point in his career.
This might be all the Cubs would be looking for in a depth piece, as Chicago’s outfield corps has been thinned by injuries to Steven Souza Jr. and part-time outfielder Kris Bryant. In theory, Maybin’s right-handed bat would provide cover against left-handed pitching (particularly since the left-handed hitting Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber have both struggled against southpaws), but Maybin has been something of a reverse-splits hitter for much of his career.