Grading the 2021 Cubs trade deadline moves two years later

It's been two years since the Chicago Cubs' front office took a sledgehammer to their World Series-winning core. It was a very hard month watching former All-Stars and playoff heroes get shipped off to other teams but it may have been necessary. Some of the best prospects in the system are a result of those deals, but at the same time, the team could use certain players right now. Let's look back at the trades made by the Cubs in 2021 and grade them.

1. The Kris Bryant trade

I think of the historic 2016 season when I remember Kris Bryant, where he not only led the Cubs to a World Series but also secured the National League MVP by putting up a whopping 7.9 WAR season. But Bryant was an excellent player in the years after 2016 despite the massive bar he set for himself after winning college player of the year, minor league player of the year, NL rookie of the year and NL MVP in consecutive seasons. Other than the shortened 2020 season, every season Bryant spent with the Cubs he put up more than respectable numbers and numbers you'd love to see from Cubs hitters in the lineup today.

Despite all that success, the Cubs opted to trade Bryant just before his contract expired in 2021 and it seems like it was the right call. Since the trade, Bryant has failed to play a full season's worth of games due to a series of injuries, resulting in a dip in his on-field production. Since being traded away by the Cubs in 2021, Bryant has compiled a WAR of 0.9.

Just from Bryant's performance alone, this trade looked worth it, but the return was not bad in Alexander Canario and Caleb Kilian. Those men are the Cubs' number 10 and 17 prospects respectively and the former could be a formidable power hitter while the latter may be destined for a starting rotation role.

Giants get: 3B/OF Kris Bryant

Cubs get: OF Alexander Canario and RHP Caleb Kilian

Grade: B

2. The Anthony Rizzo trade

While the Bryant trade looks like a success at this point, the Anthony Rizzo trade just seems like a stab in the back. If there was ever a guy to make a lifelong Cub, it was Rizzo. He played gold-glove defense at first base, drove in around 100 runs per year, hit for power, and was an unparalleled clubhouse presence. He was the leader of the Chicago Cubs for years and it would have made all the sense in the world to keep him long-term.

Even though the main return for Rizzo was Kevin Alcantara, who has risen to become the Cubs' number 4 prospect, it was not worth it. The other prospect in the deal was pitcher Alexander Vizcaino, who is no longer in the organization and hasn't thrown a pitch in a professional game since 2021. The other main component of this trade looking like a complete failure is the fact that the Cubs have been lacking not only a first baseman but a slugging left-handed batter since this deal.

Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer were laughable answers to the first base problem going into the year while Matt Mervis' first stint in the big leagues was ugly. There's still time for Mervis to flip the script, but giving Rizzo a contract extension in 2021 would have saved a lot of time and tinkering at first base and kept stability in the lineup that it desperately needs. Overall, trading Rizzo away seemed like a mistake when it happened and it looks even worse now.

Yankees get: 1B Anthony Rizzo

Cubs get: OF Kevin Alcantara and RHP Alexander Vizcaino

Grade: D-

3. The Javier Baez trade

The Javier Baez trade was an absolute steal for the Cubs. In exchange for two and a half months of starter Trevor Williams and Javier Baez (not even the best Javier Baez mind you), the Cubs secured a top tear-outfield prospect in Pete Crow-Armstrong. The only tool Crow-Armstrong is lacking in is power, but other than that he is the whole package. He can hit, steal bases, has a strong arm and has a perfect grade of 80 for his defense. Crow-Armstrong is also ranked as the seventh best prospect in all of baseball.

After closing out 2021 with the Mets, Baez signed a seven-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, where his offensive production has taken a steep nosedive. In 2022 and 2023, Baez hit just 23 home runs and collected 2.4 WAR. 2023 has been particularly bad with the former MVP runner-up posting a 62 wRC+ (league average is 100) with a slash line of .226/.261/.329.

This trade was a home run for the Cubs and Crow-Armstrong is poised to patrol center field at Wrigley Field for a long time.

Mets get: SS/2B Javier Baez and RHP Trevor Williams

Cubs get: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong

Grade: A

4. The Craig Kimbrel trade

While I give a slight edge to the Cubs in this trade simply because of the recent offensive production from Nick Madrigal, this deal has mostly been a wash. In addition to Madrigal, the Cubs received reliever Codi Heuer in exchange for half a season of reliever Ryan Tepera and closer Craig Kimbrel. Half a season where Kimbrel tossed 23 innings with a 5.09 ERA. Even though the White Sox were able to flip Kimbrel the following April for outfielder A.J. Pollock, Pollock proceeded to post a 0.4 WAR season in 2022.

Meanwhile, Codi Heuer only threw 28 innings for the Cubs and has been sidelined while recovering from Tommy John surgery since 2021. Nick Madrigal has collected 395 at-bats in a Cubs uniform, but his offensive production has been average at best. I do commend the long-time second baseman for learning how to successfully man third base this year,

In hindsight, this trade is just meh. The Cubs got some mediocre assets in return and the White Sox got a year of A.J. Pollock but neither team got any game-changing players/ production out of this deal. At the same time, I don't think it was a wrong deal to make for either team.

White Sox get: RHP Craig Kimbrel and RHP Ryan Tepera

Cubs get: IF Nick Madrigal and RHP Codi Heuer

Grade: C

5. The Jake Marisnick trade

It's easy to forget that Jake Marisnick was on the Chicago Cubs because he was traded after four months of his services. Realistically, Marisnick is a replacement-level player that provides good defense but a mediocre bat on a good day. This is why the Padres sent one Single-A pitching prospect named Anderson Espinoza to the Cubs. But Espinoza elected free agency after getting outrighted off the 40-man roster.

Espinoza signed back with the Padres after, meaning the Cubs essentially got next to nothing for this deal. But hey, the Cubs were in a selling-all-assets mode so again I don't blame the front office for this deal or it being a failure.

Padres get: Jake Marisnick

Cubs get: Anderson Espinoza

Grade: D+

6. The Andrew Chafin trade

After acquiring iconic reliever Andrew Chafin at the 2020 trade deadline, the Cubs cashed in on his low 2 ERA the following year. In exchange, the Cubs received pitcher Daniel Palencia and outfielder Greg Deichmann. Although Deichmann has been released and since gone back to the Athletics, Palencia has become one of the most promising arms in the Cubs' system.

Palencia is ranked as the 13th-best prospect in the Cubs system thanks to his highly touted fastball. Palencia recently made his MLB debut and he has thrown five innings so far. Even if his time on the roster in 2023 is limited, Palencia is destined to be a high-leverage reliever for the Cubs in the near future.

Although Chafin was a fan-favorite and a very good lefty reliever out of the pen, Palencia's upside made this deal a clear win for the Cubs.

Athletics get: LHP Andrew Chafin

Cubs get: RHP Daniel Palencia and OF Greg Deichmann

Grade: B+