Cubs rejected offer to trade Edwin Jackson to Braves for B.J. Upton
By Dan Zinski
Edwin Jackson has been unspeakably brutal for the Chicago Cubs this year, but believe it or not there was a team that recently spoke to the Cubs about acquiring the starting pitcher.
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Unfortunately for the Cubs, the team that talked to them about Jackson was the Atlanta Braves, and all they were offering was B.J. Upton.
Under normal circumstances the Cubs would have been ecstatic to unload Jackson and the remaining years of his contract, but not if it meant bringing on the equally-inept Upton.
Bob Nightengale reports that the trade was discussed in July but that the teams never really got close to an agreement. For the trade to happen, the Cubs would have had to receive a bunch of money along with Upton.
Nightengale does say that the deal will likely be revisited in the offseason. So don’t give up on that Edwin Jackson-for-B.J. Upton dream swap yet. If the Cubs and Braves can get the money worked out, it could still take place.
It’s a toss-up which player has been more awful in 2014. Jackson has been nightmarishly bad for the Cubs, posting a 6-14 record with an astronomical 6.09 ERA in 139 innings.
Upton has been absolutely atrocious as well for the Braves, hitting just .208 with 9 HR and 31 RBI with a league-high 155 strikeouts.
Money-sucking-contract-wise, Upton has Jackson beat. The Braves still owe Upton $46.35 million on his deal, while the Cubs owe Jackson only $22 million. Maybe if the Braves threw in a nice crate of peaches…
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