ESPN’s Buster Olney was definitive in saying that the Cubs will be trading for a veteran backup for Willson Contreras by the deadline. As has been rumored for weeks, Alex Avila is their top target and it’s really just a matter of reaching an agreement with the Tigers on price. Olney also confirmed that the Cubs have talked with the Rangers about Jonathan Lucroy, whose production has fallen off precipitously from his days in Milwaukee.
This isn’t revelatory by any stretch, nor is word that the Cubs have talked with Texas about Yu Darvish and Oakland about Sonny Gray.