Chicago Cubs: Why Jose Quintana trade was the right move to make
The Chicago Cubs made a big move on Thursday, acquiring Jose Quintana from the Chicago White Sox. Here is why acquiring Quintana was the right move to make for the North Siders.
Once again, the Chicago Cubs were able to get out ahead of the market. Theo Epstein and company clearly do not like to wait for the MLB trade deadline to make their mark, as on Thursday, they traded for Jose Quintana from the Chicago White Sox.
Now, the Cubs undoubtedly gave up a ton of talent in this trade. Eloy Jimenez is one of the best prospects in the game and undoubtedly has a strong MLB future. Dylan Cease has legitimate top of the rotation upside, even though he is a risky A-ball pitcher. The White Sox did well to add to their already impressive stock of minor league talent. I do not blame them for making this deal, they did well. But the Chicago Cubs hit a home run here.
Quintana is a legitimate top of the rotation pitcher who fits perfectly in the Cubs plans to compete in the long-term. Giving up Jimenez, and to a lesser extent Cease, is a tough pill to swallow, but the Cubs not giving up any major league talent and landing a top option in the rotation is an ideal situation.
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Quintana has been one of the most consistent pitchers in Major League Baseball in recent years. He has always had at least 200 innings and never an ERA over 3.51 since becoming a full-time starting pitcher for the White Sox in 2013.
Quintana has not had a great 2017 season, posting a less than ideal 4.49 ERA in 18 starts. However, his 4.01 FIP suggests that he has not had much help from his defense and may have run into a bit of bad luck.
Great signs for second half success
Also, Quintana has looked much better in recent starts. in his last seven starts, Quintana has posted a strong 2.70 ERA, according to FanGraphs. His 51.9% groundball rate in those start is encouraging, as is his 27.1% strikeout rate.
Quintana is undoubtedly a big-time starting pitcher who appears primed for a strong second half. Adding him to the Chicago Cubs rotation makes them a much bigger threat than they were just a short time ago.
The best part of this trade is Quintana’s contract. He is not only a strong and reliable top of the rotation starter, Quintana is under team control for a reasonable price through the 2020 season. With this trade, the Chicago Cubs filled their biggest need, not only for 2017, but for the long term.
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No matter how you look at it, this was a strong trade for the Cubs. They gave up a ton of long-term talent, but they added the perfect pitcher for their team. Great job by Theo Epstein and company to get out ahead of the trade market and make a deal that helps the team.