In a surprising turn of events, the Chicago Cubs have won the Isaac Paredes sweepstakes. On Sunday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to announce that the third baseman was on his way to Chicago, and the Tampa Bay Rays will receive Christopher Morel plus prospects in exchange for their valuable trade chip.
Prized Paredes was also there. He was regarded as one of the best players available ahead of the July 30 deadline, having made the All-Star Game earlier this month. The infielder is slashing.Season batting line: 247/.355/.438 with 16 home runs and 55 RBI. Paredes is a good bat who will be a valuable complement to Chicago’s lineup.
It’s unclear whether the Cubs intend to use that help to turn things around this season or to develop for the future. Because if it is the former, they will have a lot of work to do. Chicago is currently last in the NL Central with a 50-56 record, 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the division lead. Furthermore, the Cubs are 6.0 games off of the second National League wild card place. To see any playoff baseball at all, a strong second half push is required, as well as some luck in the form of opponents collapsing down the stretch.
If the Cubs recognize that’s a long shot and instead believe Paredes is a potential cornerstone, moving Morel for his services is an intriguing move. Morel has battled hard at the bats and in the field for the club this season, but he is only 25 years old and one season removed from blasting nine home runs in 12 games to begin his Cubs career.
In some senses, it appears that Morel, a 25-year-old slugger with potential, will be traded for Paredes, a 25-year-old slugger with achieved All-Star potential, resulting in a net triumph for the Cubs. However, it does not state what Chicago’s aspirations are for this year or the future.
Still, quality players are difficult to come by, and the Cubs gained another with this deal.
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