The player Cubs fans craved at the trade deadline has been a huge second-half bust

It's no secret around these parts that the Chicago Cubs had an underwhelming trade deadline.

Andrew Kittredge has been an excellent addition to the back of the bullpen, but otherwise, it's been pretty ho-hum from the team's deadline acquisitions. Willi Castro has played most of the positions on the diamond, but he has a 43 wRC+ with the Cubs. Taylor Rogers has been a middling addition to the middle relief crew (4.60 ERA). And Michael Soroka only just returned from injury, now removed from the starting rotation.

Of course, those weren't the only players the Cubs were targeting prior to July 31. From MacKenzie Gore to Mason Miller, the North Siders found themselves entrenched in rumors for a number of the biggest names on the market.

One of those names was Eugenio Suarez, then the starting third baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In need of third base help with Matt Shaw struggling, it appeared the Cubs were keen on adding Suarez's right-handed power to the middle of their lineup.

Then, the Seattle Mariners swooped in and stole him away. Though it seemed like a tough break at the time, it now appears the Cubs were wise not to pay the asking price for the now-struggling Suarez.

Eugenio Suarez's second half struggles with Mariners are proof Cubs were right to stick with Matt Shaw

At the time he was traded, Suarez was batting .248/.320/.576 with 36 home runs. He was one of the premier power-hitting threats in baseball through July, and inarguably the best rental bat on the market.

However, since joining Seattle, he hasn't quite lived up to the hype. He has hit 11 home runs, putting him just three away from 50 on this season, but he's batting .182/.253/.418, good for an 88 wRC+.

Juxtapose that against Shaw, who is batting .222/.296/.444 with six home runs since the start of August, good for a 104 wRC+. He's been pretty cold in recent weeks after a torrid stretch in August, but besides his deficit in round-trippers, he's been holistically better than Suarez on both sides of the ball.

Of course, there's no telling how Suarez would have performed in Chicago -- he may never have gone cold if he didn't head to the Pacific Northwest. Plus, his run at 50 home runs would look good on a team that is currently being led by Michael Busch's 30.

However, he's been a legitimately disappointing addition in Seattle's push for the AL West crown. It's safe to say the Cubs are thankful they didn't pull the trigger on a trade for Suarez.