Let’s get this out the way. The Chicago Cubs did not get swindled in this deal. The Cubs and New York Yankees completed a trade that will send closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs for Adam Warren and three prospects, Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford. If you were to just view the number of names then, it’s easy to say the Yankees got one over but if you’re the Cubs this is exactly what you wanted.
The MLB Trade Deadline is black and white; there is no grey area in-between. Teams that are contenders make calls to teams that are treading water and may be looking to shed a clubhouse issue, a high salary or are looking to hit the reset button. For the Yankees, this move was for the future. The Yankees currently are 7.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East division and 4.5 games behind in the Wild Card standings. But for the past few weeks, there were reports that high-profile players could be on the move. The Yankees have a veteran ball club but are in desperate need of young studs. This trade works perfectly for them, not saying they have given up on the season, but they seem to be looking towards the future now.
The Cubs were the darlings last year as they finally made a trip back to the playoffs but fell short. This year they have come out the gate right where they left off and haven’t looked back as they have the best record in the majors at 59-38. The trade works in their favor as they finally get that one piece they were missing, a solid closer. While the Cubs have Hector Readon and his 18 saves he is not the feared closer the Cubs need when facing the San Francisco Giants or the Cleveland Indians, holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth. This is the stage Chapman lives for, the stage he wanted since coming to the league. He didn’t have that chance while in Cincinnati or with the Yankees. This is why we as baseball fans love the trade deadline.
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Chapman was suspended 30 games for a domestic violence case. Since returning to the Yankees, he’s been light out. In 31 games, he is 3-0 with an ERA of 2.01, 44 strikeouts and 20 saves. He has already passed what the Cubs currently have, in a shorter period. Now, you’re putting him on the back-end of a rotation that includes, not one starting pitcher with an ERA over 4.00, two with double-digit wins and two more sitting on nine wins. The rotation is one of, if not the best in baseball but now you are telling the starters, you no longer have to pitch past the 7th inning.
How is this not a win for the Cubs?
Oh, the best part is, Chapman will only cost the Cubbies $4M for the rest of the year. That may seem pretty steep for a closer, but this deal was done for one reason, a ring. What happens in the offseason happens, but for now the Cubs took advantage of a team that wanted to go in another direction. It’s not often the Yankees are sellers and now that they are they got a taste of their own medicine.
The Cubs are all in for 2016 and today they made the trade that may earn them a title.