Cubs' deadline gambit is already paying off at Wrigley

The Cubs front office spent deadline day gutting the farm system for arms, and Wrigleyville held its breath. Less than 24 hours later, Chicago is out there beating the Dodgers with a lineup that includes a call-up who hadn't hit a big-league homer all year. Funny how that works.

Barstool Baseball

@StoolBaseball

"Twinkle Dee (Jed) And Twinkle Dum (Carter Hawkins)" Just Pushed Their Chips In And Gave The Cubs A Real Chance In October @BarstoolChief

Hoyer and GM Carter Hawkins didn't tinker at the deadline, they went all-in. Reports had the Cubs sending out a half-dozen of their best prospects, including their No. 2-ranked infielder Jefferson Rojas, to bring in win-now pitching help, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. It's the exact opposite of last summer, when Chicago held onto its prospects, watched pitching prices spike, and then watched its own rotation depth issues help end the season early. This year Hoyer said the quiet part out loud: 'We're here to win.'

The immediate return on investment came from a guy who wasn't even part of the trade haul. Kevin Alcantara, the 6-foot-6 outfielder who got the call to the majors back in May when Matt Shaw landed on the injured list, had gone his first 13 big-league games without a home run. That changed against the Dodgers.

Barstool Baseball

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CUBS!

It wasn't a laugher. The Dodgers, as they tend to do, answered right back with a homer of their own to retake the lead, a reminder that this Cubs team is chasing a division rival that doesn't blink.

Pardon My Take

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Dodgers might stink

Carson Kelly added another homer of his own in the middle innings to keep the Cubs' offense humming, and the bullpen Hoyer just rebuilt got the ball late with a lead worth protecting. That's the whole bet in miniature: outscore people early, then hand it to fresh arms instead of hoping the same tired relievers hold up in September.

By the time the flag went up over Wrigley, the vibe around the Cubs had flipped from deadline anxiety to genuine October buzz.

Chief

@BarstoolChief

t.co/uOIzMfixmN

One win doesn't validate a trade deadline. But for a fan base that watched last year's front office get too cute and pay for it in the standings, seeing the new arms and a homegrown call-up deliver in the same week is exactly the signal Wrigley wanted. The price was steep. If Chicago is playing in October, nobody's going to remember Rojas's name.