CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- In search of bullpen help, the Cubs have inquired about the availability of Blue Jays closer Ken Giles in recent weeks, Toronto broadcaster Buck Martinez said on Inside the Clubhouse on 670 The Score on Saturday.
Amid a rebuild, the Blue Jays are expected to listen to offers for their veterans ahead of the trade deadline on July 31.
Giles, 28, has a 1.37 ERA and 1.02 WHIP while converting 10 of 11 save chances this season. Giles is under contract control through 2020, making $6.3 million this season and then arbitration-eligible next year.
The back of the Cubs' bullpen carries uncertainty right now. Brandon Morrow continues to encounter setbacks in his rehab from elbow surgery in November, and Pedro Strop remains sidelined by a grade-2 hamstring strain. Chicago is in need of another high-leverage reliever, and Giles is one of several veterans the team is checking on.
"Right now, it's just rumors to deal with," Giles said as the Blue Jays visited the White Sox on Sunday. "I have been through this before, and rumors are just that until they become true or just fade away."
"I am focused on being right here in Toronto. This where I am. I am a Blue Jay right now. I pitch for these guys. Every day, I go to the ballpark thinking about getting the job done here and being a good teammate. That is all I can really worry about."
Giles would represent the swing-and-miss reliever this Cubs bullpen is lacking. He's striking out 14.2 batters per nine innings, a big number that's an uptick over his solid career mark of 12.0. Now in his sixth MLB season, Giles also believes he's grown as an individual and has much to share with youngsters, which he's making a point to do in Toronto.
"I have been through a lot of different experiences in the game," Giles said. "I believe it has been a good thing for me. I can share that with the young teammates. I have and help them understand what may happen to them at the big league level. It is much easier to get here to the big leagues and its much harder to stay. You learn you are not guaranteed to stay here forever."
Drafted by the Phillies in the seventh round of the amateur draft in 2011, Giles believes he's evolved quite a bit himself in the big leagues.
"I had to learn how to open myself up a little more," he said. "I had to let people in my bubble and trust them more. I am not a guy that will automatically trust you. You have to earn my trust and earn my respect. At the end of the day, I will work with you, but if I don't learn to respect you or trust you, it will just be a working relationship. Once you do get my entire trust, I will put all my cards in your hands. Once you lose, it it is hard to get it back. I try very hard not to be too hard on myself or others."
"The great thing is every teammate I had so far has been phenomenal. From all three stops, it's been a great experience and loved the guys. What you do find out is it is a business."
Tigers closer Shane Greene (1.42 ERA, 15-of-15 on save chances) and Giants closer Will Smith (2.89 ERA, 12-of-12 on save chances) are two other relievers who could hit the trade market soon whom the Cubs could be interested in. This season marks the first time that no trades of any sort can be made after the July 31 deadline, which should force teams to figure their priorities out a bit earlier. Previously, trades could still be made in August if the player passed waivers, which allowed for some lower-profile-but-still-important deals to be made.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
