Quintana and Cubs’ rotation gets a ‘fresh start’ after White Sox trade

But even with him, the Cubs remain at least one starter – and probably two – from being a top-flight contender in 2018 and beyond. “Our prospects at this moment in time are more valuable to the White Sox than us”.

On that note, the White Sox will receive four players in return, including the Cubs’ top two prospects in their minor league system in Eloy Jimenez (the #5 prospect in baseball), and right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease.

On Thursday the White Sox traded Jose Quintana to the Cubs in a deal for four prospects.

Jimenez, 20, is batting.271 (42-155) with eight home runs, 32 RBI and 23 runs scored over 42 games this season with Class A Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League. Quintana was an All Star in 2016 and has recorded a sub-3.50 ERA every season since 2014.

Starting pitching has struggled up and down the staff, from Arrieta to Hendricks.

The Cubs trail Milwaukee by 5½ games in the division at 43-45 after ending a 108-year championship drought last fall. The Cubs won the World Series a year ago – obviously, you knew that – and returned the top four pitchers from that rotation.

Jose Quintana is headed to the Cubs. The 4-8 record is a reflection of a bad team.

It’s easy to make changes when injuries knock a guy out of the rotation long-term, or if a less-than-established youngster/journeyman has a couple of rough outings. “However, the Cubs beat us to the punch in getting him done for $1.5 (million signing bonus) when they took him in the sixth round”.

Before going on the DL he compiled a 4-3 mark with a 4.09 ERA.Left-hander José Quintana was relieved the trade rumors were finally over.

The 28-year-old Quintana is pitching to a 4-8 record with a 4.49 ERA now, but has excellent stuff and has pitched to an ERA under 3.80 in each of the last five seasons. He did go 2-1 in the month of June with a 1.78 ERA while holding opponents to a.194/.275/.287 line, so it’s not as if he has come apart completely.

“We are open to business to all 29 clubs. As we’ve discussed with many of you frequently over the years, we’ve been trying to add controllable, talented pitching to this core that we have”. Additionally, they’ve added two other Cubs prospects. GM Rick Hahn has now turned Quintana, Chris Sale and Adam Eaton into a stable of prospects headlined by Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito and Reynoldo Lopez.

The deal is one more part of the White Sox huge rebuilding. So, the A’s see this as a flawless time to trade him since he’s pitching well and he’s healthy.

This is the first time the Cubs and White Sox have been trading partners since November 2006, when the White Sox sent Neal Cotts to the Cubs for David Aardsma and Carlos Vazquez.