Checking in on 4 pitchers the Cubs traded away last season

For the second consecutive summer, July 2022 brought a major sell-off on the North Side of Chicago. The second time around lacked the superstar names being traded we saw the year prior, but it was another seller's summer for the Chicago Cubs and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

Surprisingly, both Willson Contreras and Ian Happ wound up finishing the year with the team. The former wound up departing via free agency, signing with the Cardinals last winter, while Happ recently agreed to a three-year contract extension with the club.

But with so many new faces on this year's team, let's take a look back at four players the Cubs sent packing at last summer's trade deadline and how they're faring early on in the 2023 season.

Checking in on 4 players the Cubs traded away last season: #4 - Chris Martin

This front office has been masterful when it comes to adding veteran relief arms in recent years, and those signings have, more often than not, wound up as trade chips as the team fell out of contention by mid-summer.

Signed prior to the 2022 campaign, big right-hander Chris Martin is a perfect example of that approach. He made 34 appearances for Chicago, averaging 11.5 K/9 and working to a 4.34 ERA and 3.02 FIP, establishing himself as a reliable presence in the Cubs bullpen.

He was traded to the Dodgers at last summer's trade deadline and was brilliant for Los Angeles down the stretch, working to a 1.46 ERA and 1.13 FIP across 26 appearances, posting a brilliant 0.526 WHIP and 12.4 K/9 in the process. This winter, Martin spun that performance into a two-year, $17.5 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Early on this year, he's outpitched his 5.04 FIP, evidenced by a 2.54 ERA. He's allowed more than a hit per inning (10.3 H/9) while averaging just 2.6 K/9. Still, it's early and his recent track record suggest there are brighter days ahead for the veteran right-hander.