Chicago – The Cubs completed some established goals under a crucial two-month push for the division title when the smoke cleared Thursday before the trade deadline. Between four trades in 24 hours, Chicago added pitchers’ depth and upgraded the bench.
What the Cubs didn't finish was staring at something as the CT deadline was coming at 5 p.m. Baseball business president Jed Hoyer was super aggressive in winter, conservatively versed by trade to net star outfielder Kyle Tucker, keeping the team’s top 100 prospects and not out of the value-based comfort zone to get a frontline starting pitcher.
“We worked hard for some people we felt could make a big impact,” Hoyer said in the Bear's office next to Wrigley Field. “But in the end, those guys' asking prices would be so harmful to our future that we obviously decided to object.”
In the last half hour before the last deadline, news came out that the Cubs bought superutilist Willi Castro from the twins and left-handed rescuer Taylor Rogers bought superutilist from the Pirates. Chicago handed over two pitching prospects (Ryan Gallagher and Sam Armstrong) to Minnesota and sent outfield prospects Ivan Brethowr to Pittsburgh, who acquired Rogers separately with the Reds on Wednesday.
Trade details
The bear gets: /Inf Willi Castro
Twins get: RHP Sam Armstrong and RHP Ryan Gallagher
Trade details
The bear gets: LHP Taylor Rogers
Pirates get: Ivan Brethowr
The move together upgraded the Cubs' roster, which veteran Righty Ryan Pressly was designated as part of the 40-man lineup. Hoyer did so, without having to go with outfielders Owen Caissie (No. 36), Moisés Ballesteros (No. 47) and Kevin Alcántara (No. 75) or some other senior prospects in Chicago.
Hoyer noted that the Cubs might also be more willing to call up some prospects to help the Major League Baseball roster.
“We feel good about what we do,” Hoyer said. “I think we have a lot of different ways to provide insurance on the roster and I think we have a really good team. One of our focus is to make sure we have depth to deal with the damage we can suffer in the second half.”
Hoyer said Soroka will now temporarily enter the Cubs’ rotation, but the right can move to the bullpen as a multi-inning arm (especially Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad, recovering from the injury list game). Kittredge and Rogers could improve the relief troop who had some obstacles in the past month, while Castro offers great bats for the left-handed (this year.837 OPS) and chooses positions throughout the infield and outfield.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell showed that it was able to maximize the production of Hoyer's just landed players, but Chicago (a game against the winemakers 63-45) also faced fierce competition from the National League. Teams like the Padres, Phillies and Mets are more aggressive in deadline trades.
When the blockbuster burst out all Thursday, Hoyer struggled to get a controlled starting pitcher. He doesn't want to be separated from the upper level prospects of the rental department, with names like Joe Ryan (Twins), Mackenzie Gore (National), Sandy Alcantara (Marlins), Edward Cabrera (Marlins) and Mitch Keller (Pirates) still high.
Hoyer notes how many pitchers that are likely to be available will continue after the deadline expires.
“Work is making the best decision for the organization,” Hoyer said. “Sometimes you can focus on the present and sometimes on the future. These are conversations we have every day and you are as emotional as possible.”
Hoyer added that the extension of the new multi-year contract he signed on Monday had no impact on how he was on Thursday's deadline.
“I'm so happy to finish. I can't ask for a better place to work,” Hoyer said. “The goal is to be good every year. That's the goal. The goal is not to go through large-scale up and down cycles. It's the point to try to build something that we can sustain this year. I can certainly do that.”