Cubs lose trade deadline: Best memes and tweets from MLB fans
By Scott Rogust
The Chicago Cubs had two of the hottest trade deadline targets available in Willson Contreras and Ian Happ. They traded neither of them by the 6:00 p.m. ET deadline on Aug. 2.
The Chicago Cubs were obvious sellers entering the trade deadline, and the expectation was that catcher Willson Contreras and outfielder Ian Happ would be on the move. Contreras is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, while Happ is under contract for one more year. The two shared an emotional moment in their final home game before the deadline.
After all of that, the Cubs did not move either player. The team had a high asking price for both players at the deadline, and no interested team took a bite on the offer, making them perhaps the biggest losers of the deadline.
Twitter shades Cubs after losing MLB trade deadline
Twitter users, from media members to fans, were left dumbfounded that the Cubs did not make any moves. Some cited the 2021 Colorado Rockies, who opted against trading any of their star players. Others shared a similar sentiment that Chicago’s front office overplayed their hand.
Text from industry source: “WTF are the Cubs doing?”
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) August 2, 2022
Cubs and Giants both essentially pulling one straight out of Rockies playbook from last year https://t.co/xfehn5Hac8
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) August 2, 2022
So the main trade the Cubs made this deadline was far and away Scott Effross. Who saw that coming?
— Matt Clapp (@TheBlogfines) August 2, 2022
I'm so happy I get to watch Willson Contreras and Ian Happ play for the Cubs again.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) August 2, 2022
I'm also so irritated the Cubs didn't get anything for them and now might lose Contreras for practically nothing.
What exactly is the plan here, guys?
cubs fans: we’re ready to get hurt again!
— Morale Supply Co.™ (@moralesupplyco) August 2, 2022
cubs front office: pic.twitter.com/Y61E7EuUVa
The Cubs seem to have overplayed their hand
— Danny Abriano (@DannyAbriano) August 2, 2022
What the heck are the Cubs doing?
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) August 2, 2022
The Cubs failed the trade deadline. Absolute disaster for that front office. They tried to set the market and the market said “no thanks” https://t.co/HibdPG2k6S
— The Astros Locker WS Champs (@TheAstrosLocker) August 2, 2022
Cubs really just pulled a Rockies move https://t.co/3VKBtOQBsj
— UKMetsNYC (@UKMetsNYC15) August 2, 2022
Happ not moving was stunning, considering he was ranked right behind Andrew Benintendi as the top outfielders available on the trading block. The Toronto Blue Jays, who lost out on Benintendi to the New York Yankees, and the Los Angeles Dodgers were both linked to Happ. Yet, he remains in Chicago.
For Contreras, he will likely hit unrestricted free agency after this season. Unless, the Cubs believe they can re-sign him to a new deal to keep him. If not, they can extend him a qualifying offer to get a draft pick from whichever team that acquires him, as FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray notes in his tweet below:
There’s over an hour before the trade deadline, but there’s a chance that Willson Contreras stays with the Chicago Cubs. It’s possible they keep him for the rest of the year, try to re-sign him or extend a qualifying offer and recoup a draft pick if he signs elsewhere.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) August 2, 2022
Even though the Cubs kept Contreras and Happ, they did move on from relievers Chris Martin, Scott Effross, David Robertson, and Mychal Givens.
Next. MLB Trade Deadline Tracker: Full details on every deal. dark