NEWSLETTER
The Royals and Padres got together tonight on a complicated and interesting trade, the meat of which involves the Royals looking to stay afloat in the AL Wild Card race, and the Padres picking up some prospects. To the extent you’re looking for market-related impact, that’s basically it, with the Royals taking one of the rental starting pitchers off the market, and also picking up a couple useful relievers.
The full deal looks like this:
We have acquired pitchers Trevor Cahill, Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter from the San Diego Padres. Welcome to the #Royals! pic.twitter.com/ZfgFAwnNtG
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 24, 2017
In exchange, we have sent pitchers @MattStrahm and Travis Wood as well as minor league infielder Esteury Ruiz to San Diego. pic.twitter.com/WuQg0gCQLP
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 24, 2017
Former Cubs going in opposite directions in that one, with the Royals reportedly picking up the freight on Wood (in order to improve their prospect return), who was signed to a two-year, $12 million deal in the offseason. Wood has posted frightful numbers in his debut with the Royals, whereas Cahill has been an excellent starter when healthy for the Padres. Each was a useful member of the last two Cubs teams.
Interestingly, Buchter, too, is a former Cub – at least in the farm system – and is a strikeout machine out of the Padres’ bullpen.
There was little doubt at this point that the Royals would be buyers, but there didn’t seem to be a ton of overlap between their rumored targets and the Cubs’. Then again, in this one move, the Royals scooped up two of the relief arms on the market, as well as a rental starter – that makes the market just a little bit tighter for those types of assets, which the Cubs are considering.
A rental starter is not a strong likelihood for the Cubs, but the odds remain good that the Cubs will pick up a quality reliever before the Trade Deadline next week.
