Chicago Cubs: What will the Montgomery trade change moving forward?

The Chicago Cubs move to bring in Mike Montgomery helped shore up the bullpen, but what effect will it have on other deals moving forward?

Admit it, when you saw the Chicago Cubs acquired Mike Montgomery for Dan Vogelbach your first thought was “but what about the Yankees?” After the news leaked out the Cubs may have been in a potential blockbuster deal for Drew Pomeranz, but balked when the Padres asked for Javier Baez–and that according to Theo Epstein, Kyle Schwarber isn’t going anywhere either–who would the team offer to the Yankees?

That bit of news has gotten even harder to decipher as Jesse Rogers tweeted this from the mouth of Epstein.

So. After the reports that the Yankees had some interest in Vogelbach, but the prospects moved weren’t involved in any other deal–has there ever been a deal even close for one of the Yankees coveted arms?

Chances are no, and the Yankees have said as much saying the Cubs offer wasn’t one of the better ones they’ve been offered. What about that failed Pomeranz deal? Word is the Cubs were acquiring him to flip to another team–maybe the Yankees? But if the Cubs aren’t going to give up Baez or Schwarber directly for Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman, they won’t do it indirectly either. 

One of the bonuses of this deal is the control that each team will have. Montgomery isn’t arbitration eligible till 2019, and a free agent till 2022. And Vogelbach has yet to make his debut in the bigs. And once again, Epstein and Jed Hoyer appear to be looking to the future.

“If we hit on this deal and Montgomery becomes someone who can help us now as we head down the stretch and help us later, we’ll be very happy with this transaction.”

I’ve had my questions on just how realistic the chances are of landing one of the Yankees big three arms actually is. As much as the Cubs are ready to “win now”, the front office is showing restraint in not mortgaging more than they are comfortable with.

The Yankees are winners of their last four, and the question is are they buyers or sellers? Record aside, they need to sell. They’re overachieving–at just two games over .500–and they aren’t built for sustained success. But they also are still a team full of hard-headed  front office personnel. They’re going to demand the world, and what they’re offering just isn’t worth it.

Related Story: Cubs deal for M's Montgomery

I realize the Cubs are “close”, and I’m being careful with that word. If they had won a title in the last five to ten years, I don’t think many would be opposed to giving up a little bit more to get Chapman or Miller. But what if they don’t, and they give up valuable assets for him? What if they made the move and Chapman makes a boneheaded decision to fire off a gun again and gets suspended? Lots of variables that could undercut what the Cubs have built, and that’s why I’m simply trusting in Theo to make the right moves and decisions.