The Chicago Cubs have been aggressive at the trade deadline with a dire need for starting pitching over the final two months of the regular season. The Cubs have now traded for right-hander Clay Holmes, along with outfielder Tyrone Taylor, from the New York Mets in a deal that will send the Cubs' No. 2 prospect and the No. 63 prospect for MLB Pipeline, Jefferson Rojas, to Queens.
It's the third pitcher that the Cubs have acquired, a move that will drastically alter their rotation and prove that Chicago is truly going for it with Jed Hoyer manning the controls right now.
Projected Cubs rotation after trading for Clay Holmes (along with Kevin Gausman and Braxton Garrett)
Role | Pitcher |
|---|---|
SP1 | Shota Imanaga |
SP2 | Matthew Boyd |
SP3 | Clay Holmes |
SP4 | Kevin Gausman |
SP5 | David Peterson |
SP6 | Braxton Garrett |
The Cubs have completely reshaped their rotation at this trade deadline, adding Holmes to Kevin Gausman and, to a lesser degree, Braxton Garrett. However, given the injuries to this rotation and the uncertainty around Justin Steele, Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera this season amid those injuries.
Perhaps the biggest decision that Chicago has to consider is how they react with David Peterson and Colin Rea. From different sides of the plate, that duo has been about replacement-level this season. However, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Cubs move one of them to the bullpen and work with a six-man rotation, or maybe even move both to the bullpen as well as potential swing options.
In any case, Jed Hoyer has been aggressive at this deadline to address this team's obvious weakness. And the Cubs undeniably look to be in much better shape than they were before the weekend.
Instant grades for Cubs and Mets in the Clay Holmes trade
Cubs trade grade: A-
There are undoubtedly going to be Cubs fans who aren't particularly high on the club giving up Rojas for a rental pitcher and a fourth outfielder. I get that. And frankly, that's why I'm giving Chicago an "A-" instead of the full-blown top grade here. Overall, however, this is a win for the Cubs as they continue to bolster their extremely lacking starting pitching depth this year.
More importantly, I love the mix that this group of starters that they've brought in provides. Braxton Garrett can be a lottery ticket bet on the peripheral numbers. Kevin Gausman is a proven veteran who has probably underperformed most of this season. And now Clay Holmes comes in as another veteran, but one with a stellar 2.39 ERA on the season and who can be a top-end option with Imanaga and Boyd until reinforcements (hopefully) return.
And let's not completely disregard Taylor in this deal. He's not going to start for the Cubs, but he can be a rotational option for them and one who's useful. Taylor has a .794 OPS this season, including a .900 OPS against left-handed pitching, and has been on an absolute tear since the start of July. He could be a real asset for this offense as well, which is just an added bonus.
Mets trade grade: A
New York selling has been a foregone conclusion. The big question was how David Stearns and the Mets would go about it. This trade seems to indicate that they're after high-end prospects for their future. Rojas has been a stud and, at just 21 years old, he figures to either be a long-term shortstop or third base options.
For the Mets, that's something that they need to be accounting for given the structure of Bo Bichette's deal and the looming specter of Francisco Lindor and his uncertain future in Queens. Rojas looks like the goods, and being able to get a legit Top 100 prospect for a rental starting pitcher is a big win for Stearns and the Mets.
This feels like a win-win trade that ultimately helps out both sides in their current state. The Mets get to build their future more prominently, while the Cubs deal a prospect who looks blocked in the organization for more immediate needs.
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