Cubs pick up Orioles reliever Tommy Hunter for Junior Lake

The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Tommy Hunter from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, sending outfielder Junior Lake to Baltimore in return. The Cubs have been solid on the one-through-four portion of their rotation, but after that it’s been ugly.

The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired reliever Jonathan Broxton from the Milwaukee Brewers, supplementing their bullpen with another veteran.

So, why did the Orioles make this deal?

After years as an inconsistent mid-rotation starter Hunter moved to the bullpen full time in 2013 and found success, adding several miles per hour to his now mid-90s fastball and posting a 3.05 ERA and 145/37 K/BB ratio in 192 innings for the Orioles. I’ll never forget his bat flips. He was hitting.275/.388/.314 in 372 plate appearances this season prior to the trade, and is a career.252/.328/.304 hitter in just under 1,900 plate appearances in the minors.

Hunter will be a free agent this offseason.

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The Cubs are two games out of the second Wild Card spot, which would likely be the only way they get into the playoffs because they are 10 1/2 games out of first place in the National League central.

Hunter went 2-2 with a Three.

Over 26 games in July with the Iowa Cubs this season, Lake hit.