The Chicago Cubs really started wheeling and dealing on Monday night, but as of Tuesday morning veteran pitchers Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza are still on the roster and more big moves could be coming before the non-waiver trade deadline passes. To recap Monday's moves, the Cubs sent pitcher Paul Maholm and outfielder Reed Johnson to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitchers Jaye Chapman and Arodys Vizcaino, and they also traded catcher Geovany Soto to the Texas Rangers for 24-year old right-handed pitcher Jacob Brigham.
David Kaplan of CSN-Chicago posted his intel on Tuesday morning for what might be next regarding Dempster, and it appears the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees are the leading suitors for the 35-year-old hurler. Here is what Kaplan's sources had to say:
"Texas is serious about adding a starter and Dempster isn't as expensive to trade for as Garza would be, but after finishing as runners-up in the last two World Series and seeing the Angels add Zach Greinke, Texas management has decided to make a run at adding pitching, a baseball source told me. "However, with three teams seriously involved, it won't be cheap to acquire him even though it is potentially a three-month rental."
"Dempster has made it clear to Cubs management that he would like to play in Los Angeles but he also understands that Epstein and Hoyer have a job to do and he will not stand in their way if it means that the best deal is somewhere else," a source with knowledge of the discussions told me this morning.
With only hours left until the non-waiver trade deadline passes, the Cubs may take trade talks down to the wire to get the best deal.
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