The Chicago Cubs are trying to reach the playoffs for the second straight year, and they addressed some major needs in a flurry of MLB trade deadline moves.
In what was ultimately their biggest move of the day, the Cubs addressed two needs at once, acquiring starting pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets.
The cost for the trade was steep, as they sent highly touted prospect Jefferson Rojas back to the Mets.
Holmes will slot into the Cubs’ rotation once he returns from an injury that has kept him out since mid-May. He has made rehab starts on that road back to the rotation, and it’s likely he’ll be linking up with the Cubs soon.
In nine games this season, Holmes has a 4-4 record with a 2.39 ERA, with 45 strikeouts in 52.2 innings.
Taylor has absolutely destroyed left-handed pitching this season, giving the Cubs a tremendous platoon option in the outfield as Craig Counsell looks to make his lineups. He has slashed .241/.290/.503 overall, hitting 10 home runs for the Mets this season.
Rojas was the second-ranked prospect in the Cubs’ system according to MLB Pipeline, and he has had a strong season for Double-A Knoxville this season, with 15 home runs and 57 RBI’s. He also has 17 bases, and is slashing .270/.339/.461 for the Smokies.
The Cubs also added hard-throwing right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn at the deadline, though it did cost them catcher Moises Ballesteros and pitching prospect Mason McGwire.
In 45 total appearances this season, Zeferjahn has a 3.66 ERA and a 4-3 record, racking up 75 strikeouts in 51.2 innings of work. He also has recorded four saves for the Angels during the season and has six in his three MLB seasons.
Ballesteros opened the season with the Cubs but was sent down to the minor leagues after struggling at the plate. He hit eight home runs and 34 RBI’s for the Cubs in parts of two MLB seasons.
McGwire has been turning heads in the minors, with a 3.64 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 18 appearances with Myrtle Beach and South Bend.
The Cubs made one final deadline day deal as well, adding Marlins pitcher Braxton Garrett to their roster in exchange for prospects Jonathon Long and Jace Beck.
Garrett is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and while he’s been solid in the minors with a 2.90 ERA in 16 appearances, he did struggle in two MLB starts, giving up seven earned runs in 4.1 innings.
Long, one of the top-10 prospects in the Cubs’ system, was likely position blocked by Michael Busch and others at the MLB level for Chicago. He has 12 home runs and 62 RBI’s in 452 plate appearances for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
Beck has split time between Double-A Knoxville and Triple-A Iowa this season, with a 3.62 ERA in 25 total appearances, including nine starts. He has 116 strikeouts in 74.2 innings of work.
Prior to the deadline, the Cubs also acquired starting pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a pair of prospects.
To clear room on their roster for the new additions, the Cubs designated pitcher Luke Little for assignment, and also optioned outfielder Justin Dean to Triple-A Iowa.
They also recalled outfielder Kevin Alcantara from Iowa on Monday ahead of their series with the Dodgers.
The Cubs will return to the diamond Monday night when they welcome the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to Wrigley Field, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
