Report: Dansby Swanson was taken aback by Jed Hoyer’s trade deadline triumph as well.
The season didn’t exactly get off to the Chicago Cubs’ expected start. The Cubs appeared to be easy sellers as the MLB trade deadline on July 30 drew near. The team was well back in the running for the postseason. That is, set aside aspirations to compete in the World Series in order to support the distant system and make future plans.
Rather, Cubs president Jed Hoyer chose to make decisions that would help the team win now. Getting third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays is the only option. Considering that playoff contenders like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees were in on Paredes, this move was surprising. Not to mention, team-controlled bullpen pitcher Nate Pearson from the Toronto Blue Jays was acquired by the Cubs.
Dansby Swanson of the Cubs, shortstop, was taken aback by what Hoyer did before the deadline. Swanson’s key point, though, was that Hoyer indicated that he remains confident in the roster as it stands.
“I didn’t think it was really my place to say anything,” Swanson said to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. It’s ironic because I was the exact opposite last year. However, I felt that this year it was particularly vital to focus on what was in front of us and to build belief in this group. Jed performed exactly what he sort of promised to do, and he did it rather well. When he announces, “Hey, we’re going to focus on the future,” everyone’s initial response is, “Oh, we’re punting on the year.” No, no, he was able to make a permanent improvement in us right away.
Dansby Swanson is pleased with Jed Hoyer’s trade deadline decisions for the Cubs.
Hoyer demonstrated to the players in the clubhouse his continued faith in their ability to help the team contend for a championship and even win their first World Series since 2016.
A week before the trade deadline, Hoyer revealed his strategy, stating that he wasn’t thinking about the next three to five years. Rather, the emphasis was to be on 2025.
Chicago’s best move was signing Paredes, who gave them stability at third base and a powerful bat in the order. In addition, Paredes will remain under team control until the 2027 campaign. In 363 at-bats (101 games) in season with the Rays, Paredes compiled a.245 batting average, a.357 on-base percentage, a.435 slugging percentage, 16 home runs, 41 runs, 55 RBI, and 89 hits. Paredes qualified for the All-Star Game for the first time in his career thanks to those stats.
In light of that, they were forced to forfeit a significant return. Third baseman Christopher Morel was part of the trade package that included bullpen pitcher Hunter Bigge and prospect Ty Johnson. Although Morel had a lot of promise, it was not realized in the major leagues. He now has the opportunity to grow with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Pearson’s 5.63 ERA indicates that he hasn’t had the best season with the Blue Jays. However, since moving to Chicago, he has become more effective, going 7.1 innings (five appearances) with a 3.68 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, six strikeouts, and one walk. In addition, Pearson will remain under club ownership until the 2026 campaign.
The Cubs are 59-62 as of August 14; they are nine games behind the leaders in the NL Central and five games behind the third Wild Card slot.
The Cubs have a good chance of making the playoffs. In the season of baseball, anything can happen. Hoyer made decisions that had an instant impact on the Cubs.
