The Cubs are rumored to be trading anything that isn't nailed down, and that includes starting pitcher Paul Maholm, who might even head to ... the Pirates?
Well, possibly, but probably not, in this writer's opinion. The Bucs didn't even offer Maholm a deal this offseason, and it would be hard to see him coming back now, when the Pirates will probably hope to find a more dramatic upgrade elsewhere. Nonetheless, Maholm recently spoke to the Trib about rumors of his return to the Pirates:
"It would be ironic to leave as a free agent and then they wanted me back," he said. "They are rumors, and we will see how it turns out. My next two starts are against them. It should be an interesting 10 days."
Maholm is in the midst of a solid, if uninspiring, season with the Cubs, striking out a few more batters than usual but also allowing a few more home runs. If the Pirates traded for him, he would likely replace Kevin Correia in the their rotation.
For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.