Cubs Acquire Michael Soroka

[Outshined_One]

 

[Jason Ross]

Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz go the other way.

[Outshined_One]

Just now, Jason Ross said:

Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz go the other way.

A blocked AAA 4th OF and an intriguing low level bat.

Bit more than I'd expect, but not bad. Neither is a Top 10 guy.

[Tryptamine]

1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz go the other way.

Christian Franklin fine whatever,  but Ronny Cruz too. Feels a tad rich.

[Bull]

I like this trade. I also believe this is just the start.

 

[Rex Buckingham]

I wish we could have kept Franklin... liked him, but he's definitely expendable 

[KCCub]

Probably gave up a little more for him than I would have guessed. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Feels like trading Cruz too early, especially for a guy whose velocity has been down this month.

[ILMindState]

A controlled SP is gonna cost a TON

[WhyCantWeWin]

He’s probably better than Rea

[Post Count Padder]

I like it, as long as he's not the only starter acquired. The mph drop is concerning but his peripherals have been good all year and he was pretty great out of the pen last year.

I immediately thought of Franklin as the return before it was reported. Idk why, seemed like an obvious candidate. But adding Cruz too hurts a little. He's far off but looks pretty interesting. The market is bonkers. We're gonna be giving up a lot for a better starter.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

2 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

He’s probably better than Rea

He's def better than Rea.

[squally1313]

Just now, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

He's def better than Rea.

He’s definitely definitely better than whatever you want to call our fifth starter situation. 

[Wilson A2000]

 

[Bertz]

Things I like about this:

- I'm consistently the "but his xFIP!" guy, so obviously I believe he's better than his ERA.  Further, his numbers fall apart the 3rd time through.  If this was a playoff starter, that's a major issue.  For a backend guy 5 amd dive is perfectly fine

- He is mediocre enough that I'm not worried about not getting another starter

- Similar to Rea, there's some flexibility vis a vis bullpen vs. rotation

Things I don't like about this

- The lower levels of the org have had a bad enough year that I don't love giving up one of the lone bright spots like Cruz 

- That velo drop the last few outings is a bit scary

[Bull]

2 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

He’s definitely definitely better than whatever you want to call our fifth starter situation. 

yup. perfect stabilizing option that makes us look a lot less desperate.

A playoff rotation of Shota, Boyd, Taillon, Horton is not the end of the world.   Soroka is a nice 4th once Taillon comes back and a nice 5th once Horton comes back from the rest/benching he gets once Taillon comes back. 

 

Now get a number 2 and make that last paragraph obsolete.

[Derwood]

Compared to 2024:

HR rate down

K:BB ratio way better

And....he's hitting a lot of people? 14 hit-by-pitch already

[BobbyD3]

Just now, Bull said:

yup. perfect stabilizing option that makes us look a lot less desperate.

A playoff rotation of Shota, Boyd, Taillon, Horton is not the end of the world.   Soroka is a nice 4th once Taillon comes back and a nice 5th once Horton comes back from the rest/benching he gets once Taillon comes back. 

 

Now get a number 2 and make that last paragraph obsolete.

There's the Rea replacement #5; next up is the #1 or #2 playoff horse.  I like this get.

[Tryptamine]

The horsefeathers.....Fangraphs has Christian Franklin #7 on the Cub farm and a 45 FV? Really losing any respect for a formally good website. 

[Derwood]

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

The horsefeathers.....Fangraphs has Christian Franklin #7 on the Cub farm and a 45 FV? Really losing any respect for a formally good website. 

and you have to register to use the site now

[muntjack]

 

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

The horsefeathers.....Fangraphs has Christian Franklin #7 on the Cub farm and a 45 FV? Really losing any respect for a formally good website. 

Yep,  same FV as Caissie and Ballesteros....

[Jason Ross]

One positive about the Cubs trading Ronny Cruz to the Nationals (from a purely Cub perspective) is that the Nationals can't develop horsefeathers in the minor leagues right now, so they will probably ruin him. For his sake, that sucks. For our sake lamenting losing Cruz? It probably won't be a name we remember in three years.

[bukie]

I have to imagine the Cubs are well aware his velo was down the last few starts and are making the acquisition based on reliable information. The prospect cost of Soroka gives me very "he's fine, he's just been sandbagging it to save the arm" vibes that make me somehow less concerned.

[JD94]

3 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

One positive about the Cubs trading Ronny Cruz to the Nationals (from a purely Cub perspective) is that the Nationals can't develop horsefeathers in the minor leagues right now, so they will probably ruin him. For his sake, that sucks. For our sake lamenting losing Cruz? It probably won't be a name we remember in three years.

James Wood has developed well. Dylan Crews not so much. CJ Abrams hardly played in the minors with Washington. I agree with your point, just pointing out that they at least didn’t screw up James Wood

[Outshined_One]

5 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

The horsefeathers.....Fangraphs has Christian Franklin #7 on the Cub farm and a 45 FV? Really losing any respect for a formally good website. 

Franklin's ceiling is a bit limited, but it's easy to envision him getting a second contract in the majors.

I disagree, but I get it.