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Chicago Cubs: Who won the Aroldis Chapman for Gleyber Torres Trade?

By Patrick Sheldon

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 30: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians in Game Five of the 2016 World Series at Wrigley Field on October 30, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 30: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians in Game Five of the 2016 World Series at Wrigley Field on October 30, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images) /

Win-Win Situation

So far we have explored various reasons why the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees could claim victory in this trade. However, the reality is this is one of the rare blockbuster trades where both teams come away feeling like winners. I know that probably sounds like a cop-out, but in this case, it’s true.

They say a negotiation is successful if both sides come away unhappy. Well, I think the same can be said if both sides come away happy, and both the Yankees and the Cubs should feel good about this deal.

Theo Epstein deserves a ton of credit for having the guts to execute a trade of this magnitude. Epstein knew he was giving up on an elite prospect for essentially a three-month rental. However, he had conviction in his belief that the Cubs needed a closer to win a World Series. If the Cubs lose Game 7 and the Yankees sign Chapman in the offseason like they did, Epstein would have been vilified. But they won. Use whatever gambling analogy you want, but Epstein pushed in all of his chips and drew a flush on the river.

Next: Why the Cubs shouldn't trade for Machado

At the same time, the Yankees took the one year in which they were sellers and used it to acquire one of the game’s brightest future stars. Although it cost them a fortune, they were also able to reacquire Chapman after the 2016 season. They are essentially in the same position they were in on July 24, 2016, except now they also have Torres, a legitimate superstar on their team. In reality, the Yankees turned their one-year rebuild into a reload. And now Brian Cashman will likely be the one lurking in the background searching for that final piece come July.

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