Stunning Red Sox trade just helped Cubs’ biggest rival give up on the offseason

With Chaim Bloom taking over baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, the impression has been that the Chicago Cubs' division rival will be resetting. The expectation is that Bloom would look to trade aging veterans Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras as a way to usher in a younger era of Cardinals' baseball.

The movement has officially started for the Cardinals, sending All-Star pitcher Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox. Like the Cubs, the Boston Red Sox were in the market for a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, and instead of turning to the free agent market, former Cubs exec Craig Breslow poached one of the top arms available on the trade market.

Cardinals' kick off rebuild by trading Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox while the Cubs have an opportunity to pounce.

As part of the trade, Gray reworked his contract, essentially getting paid $41MM for one season. Likely a sticking point for him to waive his no-trade clause. Beyond the reworked contract, the Red Sox also sent pitching prospects Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts to the Cardinals. Clarke was the No. 5 prospect in the Red Sox's system, and Fitts is a 25-year-old starting pitcher coming off an injury-riddled season.

For Cubs fans not fully understanding the price it would cost to get Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers, the fact that the Red Sox had to part with a Top-5 prospect for Gray, who is closer to a No. 3 starting pitcher instead of a top-of-rotation arm, only confirms that the cost of trading for pitching remains at a premium.

It's something that could push the Cubs closer to the top starting pitchers available on the free-agent market, especially when you consider their farm system has taken a hit after the graduations of Cade Horton, Matt Shaw, Moises Ballesteros, and Owen Caissie.

Already getting a draft pick from Kyle Tucker leaving, this would seem to be the offseason where the Cubs splurge and sign a free agent like Dylan Cease. Though if the Cubs remain set on trading for a starting pitcher, the Red Sox seemingly won't be standing in their way anymore.

While the Cardinals weren't going to pose a threat to the Cubs and their efforts to win the division next season, no longer having to deal with Gray in the division is also a win for Chicago.