The MLB trade deadline is here, and the last minute trades are in full-swing! With the Cubs already making pitching moves earlier today, ESPN's Jeff Passan has announced that the Cubs have acquired right handed relief pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn from the Angels in exchange for Moises Ballesteros and Mason McGwire.
In Zeferjahn's 51.2 innings, he's posted a 3.66 ERA as well as 75 strikeouts. He's also only given up 5 long balls, and only 32 walks. This guy is a genuine reliever and a good option for Craig Counsell on the mound. The Cubs pitching staff surely doesn't look the same today as it did yesterday, and Zeferjahn only makes it better.
The Cubs had to break a few eggs to repair their pitching staff
There's no doubt that the Cubs trading away Ballesteros is not going to go over well with a lot of fans. He was a very exciting young prospect that could certainly have turned into a future home run machine. But the Cubs needed to do what they had to do in order to repair their pitching staff.
The Cubs have a need now to catch the Brewers and make a push to take the NL Central. In order to do so, the Cubs needed to add impactful pitching, and that doesn't come at the deadline cheap. With this move, the Cubs are hedging their bets that Zeferjahn will continue to be a steady presence on the mound. It's an understandable gamble from a team in the position the Cubs are in.
If Zeferjahn and the other additions can stabilize the bullpen and help Chicago make a run at October, surrendering Ballesteros will become much easier to accept. The Cubs broke a few eggs to repair their pitching staff, and now Zeferjahn has to make the finished product worth the price.
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