Chicago Cubs: The Crosstown Classic heats up as White Sox acquire Todd Frazier

Just when you thought it was safe for people to settle down following the buzz around the Chicago Cubs, baseball in the Windy City, including the Crosstown Classic, was just stepped up a notch.

While Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and Joe Maddon were busy discussing deals and sales pitches with multiple free agents over the past couple weeks, the South Siders went out and pulled off a blockbuster deal of their own. Honestly, it was a move I wasn’t expecting to see for at least two years.

According to CBS Sports’ own Jon Heyman, the White Sox acquired veteran third baseman from the Cincinnati Reds in a three-team trade involving the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Not sure how well Reds fans are taking this, considering the fact that Frazier was their hometown hero. He went out and won the 2015 Home Run Derby in front of his own crowd only to go 0-for-3 during the All-Star game itself.

Cincinnati dealt veteran right-hander Johnny Cueto to the Kansas City Royals on July, 26 in exchange for Corey Reed and Mike Lamb. This leaves first baseman Joey Votto being one of the longest-tenured players on Cincinnati’s roster.

With all these moves, I wouldn’t be surprised if the 32-year-old first baseman is traded sometime next summer despite the Reds signing him to a 10-year, $225 million contract extension back in 2012.

What this means for this upcoming feud between the Cubs and White Sox is only going to get better over the next couple of season. As we all know, the Cubs went out and picked up John Lackey, Jason Heyward, and Ben Zobrist to fill several holes in their depth chart.

In 2015, the series itself found itself being tied at 3-3 for the first time since the 2008 campaign. Both Jake Arrieta and Chris Sale manhandled the opposing lineup as the N.L. Cy Young winner helped salvage his own home series.

Entering the new season, the White Sox hold a 10-4-5 lead that dates back to 1997. Sox fans know that their team defeated the Cubs to win their first ever World Series back in 1906 and have won it two more times since.

One just so happened to be in 2005. Soon, the Cubs will be the ones holding a parade throughout the city of Chicago and there won’t be a dry eye in the area for at least a few months.