MLB Trade Deadline 2016: Winners and losers

Winner: Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs had a relatively quiet MLB Trade Deadline day. That doesn’t mean they weren’t active before that, though.

To get things going, the Cubs acquired New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman for a package centered around top prospect Gleybar Torres. While he’s a big haul for the Yankees, the Cubs dealt from a position of strength with Addison Russell already at shortstop and top second baseman prospect Ian Happ in the minors. So losing Torres, who wouldn’t see the MLB for another few years, is something that can be understood.

The Cubs now have Chapman to turn to in the ninth inning for the next two months and into the postseason. He’ll be blazing 100-plus MPH fastballs at hitters. In the cold weather of the fall, that may not be ideal.

Before him, there will be Hector Rondon, who’s now the set-up man. They also acquired Mike Montgomery, a failed starting pitching prospect who turned into a good reliever. Joe Smith was then picked up from the Los Angeles Angels.

With a deep rotation and lineup already in place, the Cubs made the weakest part of their team elite. The scary part of it is their bullpen wasn’t bad to begin with.

Next: New York Mets