Cubs stick with Willson Contreras and Ian Happ, trade reliever David Robertson
Despite weeks of trade speculation, Contreras and Happ will remain in their Cubs uniforms. Robertson, 37, claimed the closer role for the Cubs this year, posting a 2.23 ERA and recording 14 saves.
By Maddie Lee | Chicago Sun-Times
Cubs stick with Willson Contreras and Ian Happ, trade reliever David Robertson
Despite weeks of trade speculation, Contreras and Happ will remain in their Cubs uniforms. Robertson, 37, claimed the closer role for the Cubs this year, posting a 2.23 ERA and recording 14 saves.
By Maddie Lee | Chicago Sun-TimesOn deadline day, closer David Robertson was the first Cub to be traded away.
The Cubs sent him to the Phillies for minor league pitcher Ben Brown on Tuesday.
Next to go was veteran reliever Mychal Givens, whom the Cubs traded to the Mets in exchange for right-handed pitcher Saúl González.
The most notable development on Tuesday was who the Cubs did not trade: Willson Contreras and Ian Happ. Both were at the center of days of trade rumors.
The first three players the Cubs traded away were all relievers, with Robertson joining Chris Martin and Scott Effross.
Robertson, 37, claimed the closer role for the Cubs this year, posting a 2.23 ERA and recording 14 saves. He joined the Cubs this spring on a one-year deal worth $3.5 million plus incentives.
This spring, Givens signed a one-year $5 million deal with a mutual option for 2023. He’s been on a dominant streak over the last month and a half and hasn’t given up an earned run since June 16.
Baseball America ranked Brown No. 7 among Phillies prospects, while MLB Pipeline put him at No. 26. Brown had posed a 3.08 ERA in High-A this season, with 12.95 strikeouts per nine innings. For his success, the Phillies promoted him to Double-A on Monday.