Right-handed Yu Darvish came close to winning his first Cy Young last season, finishing second in the voting for Trevor Bauer, but that was not enough to keep him in a Cubs uniform. The Cubs decided last Sunday to exchange Darvish for the Fathers in a deal that was officially completed earlier this week. Chicago received five players in exchange for Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini, although whether the team made the right choice is certainly a matter of debate.
In Darvish’s move, the Cubs cost cut saved almost all of the remaining $ 62 million ($ 59 million, to be exact) in the six-year contract, $ 126 million they gave to the former Ranger and Dodger before 2018. Caratini, however, it is only due a little over $ 1 million next season via arbitration, and he will not be eligible for a free agency until after 2023. So, in the end, the Cubs dropped one frontline holder and one solid and cheap receiver in this business. Padres, who are clearly pushing for a World Series, should benefit at least in the short term. After all, they updated their list – which reached 37-23 in 2020 – without giving up any of their best prospects.
As they split from Darvish and Caratini, the Cubs received immediate help in law Zach Davies, who was excellent in his only season with the Fathers last year. But 27-year-old Davies is only controllable next season, which means he may not be a long-term piece for the Cubs, and the former Brewer has been more of a solid beginner than a top-of-the-line pitcher for the longest time. part of your career. In other words, the Cubs cannot realistically expect the 2021 version of Davies to have a production similar to what Darvish gave them last season.
Along with Davies, the Cubs secured some good prospects for a pair of shortstops – Reginald Preciado and Yeison Santana – as well as two outfielders in Owen caissie and Ismael Mena. All four ranked among the top 20 farmers in a very good Fathers system at the time of the exchange. MLB.com now places Preciado in 10th, Caissie 11th, Santana 17th and Mena 18th among Cubs’ candidates. The Cubs are dreaming that these four will eventually become legitimate major league players, but even if that happens, it will take some time. In addition to Santana, who turned 20 last month, all members of the group are teenagers.
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