How the Cubs are Winners of Both Trade Deadlines
Winning a World Series is never easy to accomplish. Each season teams fight their way through their Division in an attempt to just make the playoffs and have a chance at a World Series run. No matter how well a team is built to win, we always see moves being made at the trade deadlines in an attempt to get that last needed piece to put them over the top. Analyst eye each trade and grade each team on how much they were able to improve with each move. With July’s trade deadline already having passed and just 3 days left until the Waiver trade deadline passes it is clear that the Cubs are the winners of both.
Cole Hamels
On July 27th the Cubs were looking for one of those missing pieces. They were able to find just what they needed down in Texas. With Yu Darvish on the DL and Tyler Chatwood struggling, the Cubs needed to bolster their rotation. Who better to help do that than a guy who had just no-hit the Cubs in 2015 almost exactly 2 years to the day he would be traded to the Cubs. That man would be none other than LHP Cole Hamels. When you start looking at trade deadline acquisitions you could even go as far as to say that Hamels might be one of the best trade deadline pickups of all-time. The Cubs were able to acquire Hamels from the Rangers for RHP Eddie Butler, Minor League RHP Rollie Lacy, and a PTBNL. The Cubs got Hamels for this year, but could pick up the $20 million dollar option at the end of the season too. According to the agreement the Rangers will pay the $6 million dollar buyout if the Cubs choose to decline the 2019 option. However, the Cubs could choose to let the Rangers pay the buyout and then workout some sort of a free agent deal with Hamels in the off season. Right now the Cubs aren’t looking to 2019 just yet. They are focused on winning in 2018 and so far so good for Hamels in a Cubs uniform. Since joining the Cubs Hamels has been more than anyone could have dreamed he would be. Hamels is 4–0 with an 0.79 ERA in five starts since and is set to face Jacob deGrom and the NY Mets later tonight.
Daniel Murphy
“If you can’t beat em’, join em’.” Or in this case “If you can’t stop them, add them.” When the Waiver trade deadline came calling the Cubs found themselves in a tough spot to add a big named player. With the best record in the National League the Cubs were last to have a chance to claim someone off waivers. All other National League teams, including the Brewers, would have an option to claim a player in an attempt to sign them or just to block the Cubs from adding anyone to their already strong team. Luckily for the Cubs Theo Epstein must have worked his magic and convinced every other team that adding one of the best bats in baseball or preventing the Cubs from doing so was not in their best interest. The Cubs were able to claim Daniel Murphy from the waiver wire and work out a trade to add this “Cub Killer” to their lineup. With Kris Bryant on the DL and Addison Russell struggling through lingering injuries, Murphy would be a perfect fit to jump start a struggling offense. And Jump start is exactly what happened for this Cubs team. Since adding Murphy to the Cubs they are 6–0 and Murphy has brought back the “You Go, We Go” approach to the leadoff spot. Murphy’s numbers so far are what everyone had hoped for.
How’s that for being a spark the Cubs offense needed?
With 32 games left in this 2018 regular season and a slim lead in the Central Division the Cubs are clearly going for it again this year. The Cubs can claim themselves as winners of the 2018 trade deadlines, but they have one major win they are truly aiming for and that is to once again be World Series Champs.
#EveryBodyIN
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