Cubs Send Reliever Chris Martin to Dodgers for Infielder Zach McKinstry
The hot stove keeps getting hotter. After a quiet week, the weekend has sparked the league and trades are coming in abundance. The Chicago Cubs have joined the fray by trading reliever Chris Martin to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Deal
In a move that might signal a fire sale in the Windy City, the Chicago Cubs have traded Chris Martin to the Dodgers for infielder Zach McKinstry. Martin this year has appeared in 34 games and tossed 31 1/3 innings while racking up a 4.31 ERA. The sinkerballer has allowed five homers this year and helps the Dodgers shore up the back end of their bullpen. He will likely fare well in a ballpark that doesn’t allow many homers. In return, the Cubs receive Zach McKinstry, who has seen some major league time but has mostly been in Triple-A this season. While McKinstry has struggled at the major league level, he has raked in the minors. His .091 big league average pales in comparison to his .335 clip for Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City. He has played all over the infield and will join a Chicago team that has some promising young talent.
While the Cubs are in a rebuilding phase, the Dodgers are making a bid at their ninth NL West crown in ten years. Neither team will be done making trades after this, as Willson Contreras will likely leave Chicago before the August 2 deadline. The Dodgers adding another reliever makes them all the more formidable. When it’s all said and done, this is a beneficial trade for both sides. The Dodgers fill a need in the bullpen while the Cubs add more young talent. This is likely just the beginning of the fire sale in Chicago. As always, the shopping will continue in Los Angeles. Stay tuned for a flurry of moves coming out of the Windy City.
Main Photo:
Players Mentioned:
Chris Martin, Zach McKinstry, Willson Contreras
