Cubs lose trade deadline: Best memes and tweets from MLB fans

Apr 23, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ (left) and catcher Willson Contreras (right) high five after they scored against the Pittsburgh Pirates on a two-run RBI single hit by second baseman Jonathan Villar (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ (left) and catcher Willson Contreras (right) high five after they scored against the Pittsburgh Pirates on a two-run RBI single hit by second baseman Jonathan Villar (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports /
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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.

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:

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