Chicago Cubs: Did the front office do enough at the trade deadline?

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As we rapidly approach mid-August, is it worth wondering whether or not the Chicago Cubs did enough at the trade deadline last month?

In each of the past two campaigns, the Chicago Cubs made major splashes with midseason acquisitions. This time around, Chicago completed three deals – most of which were ‘quieter’ than what we saw in both 2016 and 2017. All of the trades the Cubs made this year were for pitchers. With 10 regular starters for only 8 positions usually you would say the Cubs didn’t need to make a trade for a hitter. However, Kris Bryant is on the disabled list. He has been there for a long time. And Bryant is likely to stay on the disabled list for a while more.

But if you have 10 regular starters and one of them is injured that still eaves you with nine starters for eight positions. In turn, Ian Happ, Javier Baez, Tommy La Stella and David Bote have played some third base in Bryant’s absence. On all the other teams in major league baseball that would be more than anyone could hope for to fill the void left by a former National League MVP.

However, sometimes playoff teams overload their roster at the trade deadline. Sometimes another team’s closer gets traded to a playoff team where he is only a setup man. Or a starter on a losing team becomes a bench player for a wining team. However, unless a Hall of Fame third baseman is going to be traded to the Cubs for little to nothing I don’t see a pressing need for a hitter.

It isn’t like Bryant has been ruled out for the year. When he comes back, it will be as if the Cubs sudden traded for a big bat. And Adrian Beltre is currently hitting more like a player in the last days of his career rather than the Hall of Famer he will soon be.

Chicago Cubs: Did the team need to go get an ace?

First of all, the Cubs may have very quietly added an ace-level arm. Cole Hamels might be this year’s Justin Verlander. A veteran pitcher who was once the ace of a pitching staff, who had struggled of late. Then, a midseason trade reinvigorates him as he’s suddenly thrown into a competitive battle. Hamels has already spoken about the emotional atmosphere he has already experienced since joining the Cubs and how much he has wanted to be a Cub.

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Secondly, there really wasn’t other aces out there to trade for. J.A. Happ, Nathan Eovaldi and Kevin Gausman aren’t sure-fire aces either. They don’t bring the kind of previous playoff experience and success that Hamels brings.

What about Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard? I would love it if the Cubs could have acquired either one of these guys. But no one is sure that the Mets were really willing to trade either one of their ace pitchers. And the price tag would have been gigantic. It would hurt to lose Addison Russell, Ian Happ, Albert Almora and/or Kyle Schwarber. Because it was going to cost either two of those guys or perhaps one of them and gutting what’s left of the farm system.

And it isn’t as if Yu Darvish is a lost cause, either (despite what you may think). It looks as if Darvish is due back around the beginning of September. I know that his first year as a Cub has been bumpy. But adding Darvish with a month before the playoffs begin will be like adding an ace to the starting rotation.

Chicago Cubs: Did the Cubs add enough to the bullpen?

Had you ever heard of Jesse Chavez before the Cubs traded for him? Were you disappointed when the Cubs acquired him? Did a little piece of you fear that he was the only trade the Cubs were going to make this year?

I had those thoughts and feelings when the Cubs first traded for Chavez. It felt very similar to when the Cubs traded for Dan Haren in 2015. But Chavez has turned into one of those sneaky great moves such as when the Cubs added Mike Montgomery in 2016.

The Cubs weren’t done adding to their bullpen. They also added Brandon Kintzler right before the dealine, when the Nationals dumped him. Just this week they signed Jorge De La Rosa, too.

And once again the Cubs will make a big acquisition via a guy coming off the DL when their closer, Brandon Morrow, returns from injury. The Cubs also have a couple of other Major League pitchers rehabbing in minors who will probably join the team after Sept. 1 in Anthony Bass and Drew Smyly.

Next. Talking Cubs with ESPN's Eduardo Perez. dark

I wasn’t sure the Cubs needed to make any trades at this year’s trade deadline. But the pitchers that they acquired might be difference makers. The front office acquired these pitchers without giving much. And the Cubs are due to get back one of their best hitters, an ace starting pitcher and their closer from injury.

The fact that the Cubs have so much depth that they have been able to tread water so well without those three is a great compliment to the front office and the players who have stepped up in their absence.

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As we rapidly approach mid-August, is it worth wondering whether or not the Chicago Cubs did enough at the trade deadline last month?

Chicago Cubs: Did the team need to go get an ace?

More from Cubbies Crib

Chicago Cubs: Did the Cubs add enough to the bullpen?

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