At this year’s trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs were one of the teams on the fence. Were they going to be buyers, going for the playoffs? Or were they going to sell key pieces and look ahead to 2025 and beyond? Instead, they created a new way of handling the deadline, staying right on the fence.
The Cubs made moves to keep them in the hunt this season and helped set up their future, keeping them sitting on that metaphorical fence. While we are still waiting for the offensive return to show, Isaac Parades was brought to Chicago to bring stability to third base, a position that has been a revolving door since Kris Bryant’s days. Parades is also under team control until after the 2027 season, contributing to building for the future.
Nate Pearson added another arm to the bullpen that was capable of getting outs to keep the line moving. Some saw Pearson as a project the Cubs were taking on. He appeared 41 times for the Toronto Blue Jays before the trade, posting a 5.63 earned run average in 40 complete innings. But with the Cubs, Pearson has a 2.89 ERA in just over nine innings pitched. Pearson is under contract until 2027.
Pearson continues to pitch in crucial moments for the Cubs, but Parades seems to be dealing with a lingering injury. Still, the Cubs are technically in the hunt, albeit with a slim chance. Those the Cubs traded away, however, have seen better days.
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Mark Leiter Jr. Not Seeing Same Successes As With The Cubs
At the deadline, the Cubs traded bullpen anchor Mark Leiter Jr. to the New York Yankees in exchange for a pair of prospects. Leiter pitched for two and a half seasons with the Cubs, posting a combined ERA of 3.85. At the beginning of 2024, the bullpen struggled to get outs. Leiter was one of the few trusted arms but could only be used so much.
The Yankees, battling for a division title and a top seed in the American League, needed to upgrade their bullpen to keep pace. Mark Leiter Jr. was part of that plan. However, it has not gone as they anticipated.
Leiter has a 6.48 ERA in 10 appearances so far for the Yankees. In those appearances, he has yet to complete a clean inning. On Sunday night, the Yankees failed to hold a late lead and allowed the Detroit Tigers to walk off a win due to the struggling bullpen of the Yankees. They’ll need to fix these woes to keep moving forward in the American League sooner rather than later.
Christopher Morel Still Struggling With Tampa
The heartbreaking trade for Cubs fans was when Christopher Morel, a favorite in the stands and the clubhouse, was traded to Tampa Bay for Isaac Parades. While Morel quickly became a favorite on the North Side of Chicago, his lack of offensive and defensive production cost the Cubs in the long run. There were rumors that the Rays were interested in Morel this past offseason, but a move was never made. Now, the move has been made.
However, things are not turning around for Morel in Florida. He homered twice in his first two games with the Rays, but those were the only homers he has hit there. His batting average with Tampa is .148, bringing his average for 2024 overall down to .191.
Morel’s defensive opportunities thus far in Tampa have come at second base, a place the Cubs currently have locked up by Nico Hoerner. So far, Morel has played eight games at third base. He has three errors on 32 defensive chances.
The Cubs traded Morel, knowing he would be a project they did not see themselves completing. Defensively, the Rays hope to find a home for him, presumably at second base. Offensively, they’ll try to build his average while capitalizing on his power potential.
