Cubs Pull Off Big Trade Right After Shota Imanaga Deal

It appears as if the Chicago Cubs have emerged from their self-inflicted hibernation and are ready to get into the thick of the offseason.

Just hours removed from officially announcing the free agency signing of Japanese left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga, the Cubs have now made a move on the trade market.

They are sending prospects Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for relief pitcher Yency Almonte and infielder Michael Busch.

Cubs make move to add to bullpen and infield

Busch was a first-round draft pick in 2019 for the Dodgers who made his MLB debut last season, playing in 27 games. The bulk of his work came with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where in 98 games he batted .323 with 27 home runs and 90 runs batted in. Busch is a lefty hitter who can bring power to the lineup and stability at third base for a long time.

Almonte is coming off of a year with the Dodgers where he struck out 49 batters in 48 innings pitched. He did struggle with giving himself trouble to deal with, allowing 43 hits and 27 earned runs, but this coaching staff obviously sees something they like in him and think he has something the bullpen needs to finish off games in 2024.

This will likely not be the last we hear from the Cubs this offseason. Big names like Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, and Rhys Hoskins are still available, and the Cubs' appears to be in the running for every guy at this point.