Chicago Cubs’ Dan Haren looks to ride off into the sunset

After joining the Chicago Cubs on a deadline deal last week, veteran right-hander Dan Haren will look to give the team a push as they fight for a postseason berth.

This weekend, the righty made comments to media that indicated 2015 will likely be his last season in the bigs; which, for me personally, only adds value for the Cubs.

With Chicago looking to make the postseason for the first time in this decade, Haren will likely feed off the excitement and competition that was largely absent in South Beach earlier this year.

"“It was a rough situation,” Haren told the Chicago Tribune. “It definitely wasn’t what we all planned. But I feel bad for a lot of the players there, especially a lot of the older players."

Haren has been largely underrated this year, as he’s on-pace to win double-digit games for the 11th-consecutive campaign. He’s pitched to a 3.42 earned run average so far, but some of his peripherals (4.58 FIP, 4.16 ERA away from Marlins Park) could be a cause for concern.

At the back end of the Cubs rotation, Haren will bring something that the team has sorely lacked behind the likes of Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Jason Hammel – consistency.

Since mid-May with Miami, the former second-round draft pick has pitched at least six innings in all but two of his starts – and in those two outings, he lasted 5 2/3 frames.

He allowed more than three earned runs just three times this season – and given the small return the Marlins received from Chicago, this deal already looks like a slam-dunk win for the Cubs front office.

Entering his Cubs debut on Wednesday, Haren ranks 10th in the National League in WHIP and over the last decade, he’s finished in the top 10 in strikeout-to-walk ratio – another sign of the leadership and consistency he brings to the table.

He’s not a game-changing arm anymore. For the most part, he’s been a barely-above-.500 arm during his journeyman career. But for what the Cubs need down the stretch, he’s a perfect fit – especially because Chicago only gave up some mid-level prospects to land the veteran.

"“Going into the year with so many expectations and the last few days it blew up with a lot of veterans gone and a few left has got to be rough. I’m definitely happy to be here.”"

Next: Cubs may have a closer-in-waiting in righty Hunter