The top of the starting pitching market didn\u2019t kick into gear until a little over a half an hour before the 5 p.m. CT deadline, with the Rangers acquiring right-hander Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks. Then deals fell into place in rapid succession. And the Cubs dropped out of the race for a frontline starter, which has been their most obvious need since left-hander Justin Steele underwent season-ending elbow surgery in April.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a starting pitching standpoint, it was a really tight market,\u201d president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. \u201cVery few rental starters, effectively no starters that had one year of control after this; and then of the marquee control starters, none of those guys changed hands. Obviously we didn\u2019t acquire them, and no one else did either. The asking price, we felt like, was something that we couldn\u2019t do to the future.\u201d Hoyer said he had a \u201cpretty good sense early on\u201d that, barring a significant drop in ask, the Cubs wouldn\u2019t be landing any of those high-profile starters with multiple years of control.<\/p>\n
Instead, they approached the innings puzzle from the other end, acquiring two veteran relievers \u2013 right-hander Andrew Kittredge and left-hander Taylor Rogers \u2013 and a versatile swingman \u2013 Michael Soroka. They upgraded their bench by acquiring utility player Willi Castro. The Cubs traded away four prospects in their Top 20, as ranked by MLB Pipeline, but didn\u2019t go above No. 8.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel good about what we did,\u201d Hoyer said. \u201cI think that we kind of provided insurance in a number of different ways on the roster, and I think we have a really good team, one of our focuses was making sure that we had the depth in order to withstand injuries that we may have during the second half.\u201d Yes, the Cubs threaded the needle of the present and future, a core value in Hoyer\u2019s team-building philosophy. But other teams in the National League were more aggressive \u2013 like the Padres, Phillies and Mets \u2013 threatening the Cubs second-place record in the league, behind the Brewers.<\/p>\n
The way the playoffs are now structured, the top two seeds in each league get a first-round bye. The other four on each side play in the Wild Card round, regardless of whether they won their division. \u201cThe advantage of getting one of those top two seeds is really impressive,\u201d Hoyer said. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be a lot of competition for that. I think you\u2019re alluding to, would getting a young, controllable starter help that? Yeah, I think there\u2019s no question. But ultimately, the goal is to be in this mix every year.\u201d Not just this year.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the calculation Hoyer made as the clock ran out on the trade deadline. The Cubs were, however, pursuing other options to the end. Hoyer was engaged with White Sox general manager Chris Getz up until about 30 minutes before the deadline on right-handed starter Adrian Houser, who is set to become a free agent after this breakout season. \u201cThere was sincere interest,\u201d Getz said in a zoom news conference Thursday. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t above the Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 offer, and so that\u2019s why we went to the Tampa Bay route. But I will say we were pretty close on a deal and just didn\u2019t get there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soroka\u2019s versatility drew the Cubs to him. He\u2019s expected to be in the rotation to begin his time with the Cubs, Hoyer said. But that could change when the Cubs get right-handers Jameson Taillon (strained right calf) and Javier Assad (strained left oblique) back from the injured list, likely in August. \u201cWe want to make sure we can give guys rest,\u201d Hoyer said. \u201cWe want to make sure we have enough pitching to get through, and that was a big focus.\u201d So, the Cubs gave up their No. 13 and 14 prospects \u2013 rookie-ball infielder Ronny Cruz, 18, and Triple-A outfielder Christian Franklin, 25 \u2013 in the trade with the Nationals.<\/p>\n
Kittredge traveled with the Orioles to Chicago Wednesday night ahead of a weekend series against the Cubs. He\u2019d only been in the team hotel for about a half an hour, he said, before he got a call notifying him of the trade to the Cubs. \u201cEasy transition,\u201d he said Tuesday afternoon. \u201cSwitched hotels. That\u2019s about it.\u201d The 35-year-old right-hander got a tour of Wrigley Field and his new home clubhouse on Thursday, spoke briefly to manager Craig Counsell, and met the pitchers who were in on the off day to do side work.<\/p>\n
Rogers was traded twice in as many days, all within the NL Central. After posting a 2.45 ERA in 40 appearances with the Reds this year, he was briefly traded to the Pirates as part of the Ke\u2019Bryan Hayes deal, before they flipped him to the Cubs for High-A outfielder Ivan Brethowr. The Cubs also received cash. \u201cWe came in wanting to add three pitchers,\u201d Hoyer said. And the trade for Rogers just before the deadline got the Cubs to that total.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal was to add depth to the bench,\u201d Hoyer said. \u201cWillie Castro, in some ways, does that with one person. Having a guy that protects us in a lot of spots, he was a very obvious fit in that regard.\u201d The Cubs acquired Castro from the Twins for Double-A pitchers Ryan Gallagher, the No. 8 prospect in their system, and Sam Armstrong, the team announced Thursday.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, the Cubs made significant moves at the trade deadline, acquiring four new players to bolster their roster. While they may not have landed a frontline starter, they addressed their needs in other ways, adding depth to their pitching staff and bench. The Cubs’ approach to the trade deadline reflects their commitment to building a strong team for both the present and future.<\/p>\n
Q: What was the Cubs’ main goal at the trade deadline?
\nA: The Cubs’ main goal was to add depth to their roster, particularly in the starting pitching department.
\nQ: Who did the Cubs acquire at the trade deadline?
\nA: The Cubs acquired Michael Soroka, Andrew Kittredge, Taylor Rogers, and Willi Castro.
\nQ: Why did the Cubs not pursue a frontline starter?
\nA: The Cubs did not pursue a frontline starter because the asking price was too high and they did not want to compromise their future.
\nQ: What is the significance of the top two seeds in each league getting a first-round bye in the playoffs?
\nA: The top two seeds in each league getting a first-round bye gives them a significant advantage in the playoffs, as they can rest and prepare for the next round while other teams are competing in the Wild Card round.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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