A couple lefty trades to update you on, neither of which necessarily implicates the market for the Cubs’ efforts to pick up a lefty today.
After years of rumors, Robbie Ray has finally been traded:
BREAKING: Per source the #Bluejays have acquired pitcher Robbie Ray from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
— Rob Longley (@longleysunsport) August 31, 2020
He’s been terrible this year and vexing for a long time (talent and peripherals never matching production), so he’s gonna be a really interesting buy-low type in free agency this year. Wonder if he turns it around a bit with the Blue Jays to close out the season. I presume he’ll be a starter there.
As a lefty relief option, Ray wouldn’t have made a lot of sense for the Cubs, because you would have no idea if you were going to get any kind of useful production. Let’s revisit him in the offseason.
Meanwhile, the A’s get a quality lefty starter from a division rival:
The Oakland A's have acquired left-hander Mike Minor from the Texas Rangers for two players to be named later, sources tell ESPN. A's needed rotation help and get it with a trade for Minor, who's a free agent after this season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 31, 2020
Source tells me that the PTBNLs for Mike Minor are:
OF Marcus Smith (third-round pick, 2019) https://t.co/STrVhxOtjr
-and-
3B Dustin Harris (11th-round pick, 2019) https://t.co/G9g0JZLiSf
— Levi Weaver (@ThreeTwoEephus) August 31, 2020
Although Minor was briefly a dominant reliever before signing with the Rangers a few years ago (remember that?), he wanted to start, and he justified the Rangers’ decision on that front.