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It would be a good day to be a Padres fan.
The Cubs sent Yu Darvish and his favored catcher Victor Caratini, plus a ‘minor portion’ of the $59 million left on his contract to San Diego.
In return, the Cubs are getting right-handed pitcher Zach Davies, shortstops, Reginald Preciado and Yeison Santana, outfielders Owen Caissie and Ismael Mena.
Davis turns 28 on January 7th. He’s pitched 6 seasons in the MLB, 5 with the Brewers, and the last one with the Padres. Career, he has a 50-36 record and a 3.79 ERA in 123 starts. He has 9.8 bWAR in that time. In 2020 he had a 2.73 ERA in 12 starts, with 63 strikeouts and 19 walks in 69 innings. He’s a free agent after this season.
The others going to the Cubs haven’t had much professional playing time. Caissie is from Burlington, Ontario. He was a second-round pick in 2020. He’s just 18.
Preciado is just 17. Baseball America had him 23rd in the Padres system in their mid-season update.
The others:
Reggie Preciado, Ismael Mena, Yeison Santana and Owen Caissie were the Padres No. 15, 17, 18 and 20 prospects, respectively, in the upcoming BA Prospect Handbook. They are headed with Zach Davies to the Cubs for Yu Darvish and Victor Caratini, per @sdutKevinAcee and @sdutSanders
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) December 29, 2020
They are all a long way from the majors.
It seems a light return for Darvish, but then he’s 34, and he is owed $59 million over the next three years. And he hasn’t exactly been the model of consistency or health in his 8-year MLB career (well 9 really, he missed all of 2015 after Tommy John surgery). In those 8 seasons, he’s made 30 starts 3 times.
2020 went very well for him, 2.01 ERA and 8 wins, finishing 2nd in Cy Young voting.