The Chicago Cubs have finally thrown their hat in the ring at the trade deadline. Per Jesse Rogers of ESPN, Chicago is acquiring starting pitcher Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals.
As Rogers alluded to, the initial numbers look rough for Soroka. A contender trading for a pitcher with a 4.87 ERA? Are the Cubs being serious? The answer is yes.
His expected ERA per Baseball Savant is more than a run lower than his ERA. Soroka has begun to throw his slurve (slider + curveball) 35% of the time, compared to 4% last year. The mix of his fastball and slurve has produced good results. His expected batting average is only .218, as he avoids barrels and strikes out more than a batter per inning.
The question is whether or not Soroka will be in the rotation. Chicago needs both pen arms and starters; Soroka can do both. President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer probably has more moves up his sleeve, and where Soroka slots in the pitching staff may depend on those moves. The latest rumor is that Chicago is chasing Guardians starter Shane Bieber. As a rental option, Michael Soroka is a good get to bolster their chances in October.
Ronny Cruz is the top prospect heading back to the Nationals. The 13th prospect in Chicago’s system, Cruz has the glove to stick at shortstop, and plenty of raw power. The 18-year-old has played well at rookie ball this year and is an interesting long-term bet for Washington. Christian Franklin is the other player going to the capital in the deal. The 25-year-old has been playing at Triple-A, showing good defense in right field and posting a .820 OPS in the box. His power is real, but as of yet untapped. It’s possible we see him up in Washington sooner rather than later.
