This could be a long day.
Between minor league transactions and the trade deadline, there’s going to be a lot of news to cover all day long. Some of it will be good and fun while other moves that are going to be made will be sad and frustrating for some. I will be here for all of it and mostly live after 2 PM.
Let’s start with the minor leagues…
This post has become a thing the past couple of years at Cubs Central and now here at North Side Bound. With every full season affiliate off on Monday, Tuesday became the de facto day to “officially” send players from one affiliate to another as it gives them plenty of time to get there and begin making adjustments.
Normally, the first of the month tends to see a lot of player movement. We’ll see some today, but there’s going to be much more later this week as the new players and draft picks get assigned to an affiliate.
There were a lot of minor league moves over the last couple of days. Here’s what we have heading into today.
Iowa Cubs activated RHP Cam Sanders.
Iowa Cubs sent Esteban Quiroz to the ACL Cubs on a rehab assignment.
RHP Raynel Espinal assigned to Iowa Cubs.
Alfonso Rivas assigned to Iowa Cubs.
Hayden Wesneski assigned to Iowa Cubs
Tennessee Smokies activated LF Alexander Canario from the temporarily inactive list.
RHP Jose Romero and RHP Anthony Mendez assigned to Myrtle Beach Pelicans from ACL Cubs.
C Moises Ballesteros assigned to Myrtle Beach Pelicans
RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to ACL Cubs
RHP Will Frisch assigned to ACL Cubs
As for the Major League transactions, we’re going to have those here, too. They’ll be brief and to the point.
We will probably have a summary out tomorrow of the new guys that’ll be very similar to what we did on days two and three of the draft. Full-fledged profiles will come later this summer as we will have to do our due diligence on each new prospect.
I will be updating throughout the day. This is all we have going until the games begin tonight.
So, check the timestamps to see what you have missed.
9 AM Update
It is pretty quiet out there.
10 AM Update
Well, the rumors are starting fly about both Happ and Contreras along with Robertson. As for the affiliates, Tennessee put out this cryptic tweet earlier today. This might be more about the affiliate than it is going to be about players. No MiLB transactions yet. Those could come out at any time.
11 AM Update
The Smokies news….80s and 90s night. Boo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not expecting MiLB moves until later today.
However, the flood gates to trades may now be opening.
Looks like the Nats also got MacKenzie Gore. That’s a blockbuster and the Padres keep Campusano.
11:06 AM Update
Looks like Eric Hosmer is on that deal. He has a NTC. I wonder that is going to wreck the whole deal?
12:00 PM Update
Hearing conflicting reports on the deal from minute to minute.
This NTC could actually benefit the Cubs if the Cubs take on Hosmer’s deal in return for prospects. If the Cubs agree to pay the remaining money, they could get a haul from San Diego and clean out their top ten…not that there are many left.
12:30 PM Update
Myrtle Beach placed Tanner Jesson-Dalton on the 7 Day IL
The Padres deal looks to be done without Hosmer. Hmmm…
Rumors now have Dodgers wanting Happ and Robertson while the Mets, Rays, and Blue Jays have also been in discussion about Happ, Contreras, and Robertson.
1 PM Update
I got the Myrtle Beach email with the news posted above about Ballesteros and Jesson-Dalton. Iowa usually sends out their roster moves right about now on a normal day. I would expect that email to be much, much later today.
In a procedural move RHP Tanner Jesson-Dalton assigned to Myrtle Beach Pelicans from South Bend Cubs. If you are wondering why this is out, the Pelicans placed him on the IL while he was on a rehab assignment in Myrtle Beach.
2 PM Update
Still, a day of hurry up and wait.
2:47 PM – A Trade
Robertson is off to the Phillies. Awaiting the return.
2:50 PM – Finally, a Deal Is Made
The Cubs will be getting back a power arm in Ben Brown. Here is what Pipeline said of him.
Brown is a big, strong-bodied right-hander with a power repertoire, all coming from a 6-foot-6 frame. He’s been throwing his fastball in the 95-98 mph range and he backs it up with a pair of breaking pitches he misses bats with. He’ll throw his hard slider up to 90 mph and also will come in with an 84-87 mph curveball, and they are distinct pitches.
Brown is definitely control over command right now, understandable as a raw, projectable high school draftee who had managed to pitch just 100 1/3 innings over his first five summers of pro ball because of the injury. He’s being developed as a starter right now so he can continue to work on all his pitches and to make up for lost development time, but it’s not hard to dream about his power stuff working really well in shorter stints out of the bullpen.
He was the 26th ranked prospect at MLB for the Phillies. However, BA had him at 7 on the most recent list. He was at High-A this year. He has a 3.05 ERA there this year with 105 Ks in 73 IP. Not too shabby at that level. The Phillies drafted him in 2017 out of high school. I like the return. So does Greg Zumach.
Looking for some video on him now.
5:00 PM – Here Comes the Last Deal
Pitcher Mychal Givens goes to the Mets. Awaiting the return
MILB Transaction – South Bend Cubs placed RHP Tyler Schlaffer on the 7-day injured list.
Rather than make a bad deal, the Cubs are hanging on to both guys. Willson will probably get a qualifying offer now unless the Cubs get an extension done. If I am Willson, that’s almost $18 million for year. Hard to pass that up.
As for Happ, he still has a year plus left on his deal.
5:50 PM The Givens Return
The Cubs picked up reliever Saul Gonzalez who was at Low-A St. Lucie. He is a 6-foot-7 reliever who has 29 Ks in 25.1 IP this year for St. Lucie after missing April and May. He was a starter up until this year. Currently, he has 2.81 ERA this year
I will have some final thoughts on the day in the Players of the Day tonight. Right now, I am going to partake in some oven baked chicken!
