Chicago Cubs Aquire Jose Quintana and Alex Avila
#Cubs today acquired LHP José Quintana from the #WhiteSox for OF Eloy Jimenez, RHP Dylan Cease, and INFs Matt Rose and Bryant Flete. pic.twitter.com/R8E9u9anls
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 13, 2017
The world champion Chicago Cubs were involved in two of the bigger deadline deals. Their first move happened right around the All-Star Break, when they acquired left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana from their inner city rivals, the White Sox. Quintana (6-9, 4.16 ERA) was the ace of the fledging White Sox for the last few seasons, although the All-Star pitcher’s career record (52-55) doesn’t reflect that due to the franchises struggles. With his talents going to waste on a rebuilding team, going to a contending franchise was the Colombian native’s best option.
With the Cubs needing some stability in a starting rotation that has struggled at times this year, both teams put aside their shaky trade history and pulled off perhaps the biggest deal between the two franchises. In return the Sox get outfield prospect Eloy Jimenez (ranked No. 2 by MLB Pipeline) and pitching prospect Dylan Cease (ranked No. 8). The Cubs continue their push towards another World Series while the White Sox add more talent for the future.
#Cubs have acquired C Alex Avila and LHP Justin Wilson for INFs Jeimer Candelario, Isaac Paredes and cash or PTBNL. pic.twitter.com/kB1XNyy39M
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 31, 2017
The other deal that the Cubs pulled off involved the Detroit Tigers. After being a model of consistency for a better part of the 2000’s, the Tigers have fallen on hard times recently and were looking to unload talent. The Cubs were looking for a veteran catcher to back up Willson Contreras after letting go of Miguel Montero back in June. And so, the defending champions sent two more top ten prospects (infielders Jeimer Candelario and Isaac Paredes) in exchange for Cuban-American catcher Alex Avila (.274/.394/.869), who had spent eight of his nine major league seasons in Detroit.