Good morning, friends!

Has this truly been the worst stretch in Chicago sports history?

Maybe you’ve seen the graphic around social media with each team’s record and standings finish.

It’s not pretty.

The Bears finished last in the NFC North. The Blackhawks finished last in the Central. The White Sox? Last in baseball. Cubs? Last in the NL Central.

Caleb Williams. Rome Odunze. Connor Bedard. Caleb Williams. Rome Odunze. Connor Bedard.

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— Patrick Norton

To sell or not to sell, that is the question.

Similar to Hamlet, some might consider the 2024 Cubs an incomprehensible tragedy. The trade deadline looms just 2.5 weeks away for the NL Central’s last-place team, but at 44-49, it’s tough to firmly declare the season “over“.

The Cubs’ five games ahead of the MLB All-Star Break offer the team one last chance to prove it can compete for a postseason spot this season. Winning 5 of the last 6 games has the official declaration as sellers on hold, but last place is last place.

Let’s assume the Cubs decide to sell: What assets can they move?

• Cody Bellinger’s struggles this year makes his unique contract structure difficult to move. The three-year deal Bellinger signed during spring training allows for player opt-outs after 2024 and 2025. The idea that Bellinger’s 2023 could be an outlier instead of a return to form could scare off potential suitors.
  
• Trading Ian Happ is easier said than done. Happ’s three-year extension that kicked in this season includes a full no-trade clause. Finding a trade partner means finding a contender that Happ would be willing to waive his no-trade rights.
  
• Jameson Taillon’s contract includes a 10-team no-trade clause. Kyle Hendricks automatically received a no-trade clause as part of earning his 10-5 rights two weeks ago. Hendricks has accrued 10 years of service time and has spent at least the last five with the same team. Seiya Suzuki also has a no-trade clause.
  
• Mike Tauchman is reportedly nearing a return from the IL and could garner interest among contenders looking for a bonafide 26th-man.
  

⚾ CUBS FANS | Stay up to date ahead of baseball’s trade deadline as the stove heats up with CHGO Cubs’ Ryan Herrera’s trade rumors tracker!

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Sell! Sell! Sell!

The decision to sell is easier when you’re 41 games under .500. For the White Sox, it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of who and when.

Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. seem to be hoarding all of the headlines heading full-steam toward the deadline, but even at 27-68, the South Siders have appealing and poachable players on the roster.

• Erick Fedde is 31 years old, on a two-year deal, and one of baseball’s best pitchers in 2024. That’s the recipe for a tradable asset. The same goes for John Brebbia. Brebbia is 34 years old, on a one-year contract, and his peripherals look much better than his actual numbers. Despite a bloated 4.50 ERA, he boasts a 3.22 xFIP and a career-best 11.25 K/9 through 36 IP.
  
• Is it a foregone conclusion that Crochet and Robert Jr. are on their way out? No! The White Sox could absolutely opt to keep one or even both of them, especially with both under team control through 2026. However, the team reportedly could not agree to terms on an extension to avoid arbitration with Crochet and is expected to shop their ace in the coming weeks.
  
• It’s almost a surprise Tommy Pham hasn’t been dealt yet.
  

⚾ WHITE SOX FANS | Stay up to date ahead of baseball’s trade deadline as the stove heats up with CHGO White Sox’s Vinnie Duber’s trade rumors tracker!

Roundup: Angel Reese extends historic streak, Zach LaVine trade stock

• Angel Reese extended her WNBA-record streak of consecutive double-doubles to 14 games in the Sky’s Wednesday afternoon victory over the Atlanta Dream, 78-69. Reese broke the record previously held by Candace Parker on Sunday against the Seattle Storm.
  
• Is Zach LaVine sticking around for the 2024-25 season? With the guard’s trade market reportedly drying up without the Bulls’ willingness to attach draft compensation while entering a rebuild, the plan could be to rehab his trade stock before dealing LaVine mid-year. But the Bulls can’t afford to sabotage their own tank, either.

History for Michael Kopech!

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