Chicago Cubs: Revisiting the infamous Chris Archer trade

Once upon a time, Chris Archer was a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Long ago, in a different world than our current present, the Cubs had a 20-year-old kid by the name of Chris Archer. Yes, that Chris Archer. Many fans are more than familiar with Archer and who he turned into, but many might not be aware to the fact that Archer was once a top prospect in Chicago’s system.

Heading into the 2009 season, the Cubs were coming off a 97-win season and an appearance in the National League Division Series. Disappointingly, however, the 2009 campaign did not go well as the team finished a balmy 83-78 despite a pitching staff where almost all starters posted a sub-4.00 ERA. A couple of years following, there would be a significant move to shake things up.

To bolster the starting rotation following the 2011 season, the Cubs chose to make a blockbuster deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. The major players in that deal were, of course, Archer, who Baseball America ranked as the 27th best prospect in the 2010 prospect class, and Rays starting pitcher Matt Garza who was coming off a 15-win season.