Cubs Acquire Catcher Martin Maldonado From Royals as Willson Contreras Heads to 10-Day IL
By Sam Dunn
The Chicago Cubs felt no need to wait for the end of July to make a trade deadline move. On Monday night, they swooped in for Kansas City Royals catcher Martin Maldonado in a deal first reported by Ken Rosenthal.
It was later reveald by Mark Feinsand that they'd be sending left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery to KC to consummate the trade.
#Cubs get Martín Maldonado, source tells The Athletic. @TheAthleticMLB.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 16, 2019
A 2017 Gold Glove winner, the 32-year-old Maldonado provides noticeably more defensively than he does with his bat, as he's hitting just .224 with a .647 OPS in 2019. His defensive WAR, at 1.3, is a full point higher than his offensive WAR.
Source: Royals getting Mike Montgomery back from Cubs for Maldonado.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 16, 2019
Montgomery has thrown 27 innings on the year, posting a 5.67 ERA and an unsightly 1.778 WHIP. He's striking out just six batters per nine innings this year. Famously, he recorded the final out in the Cubs' iconic 2016 World Series championship.
So, why did the Cubbies make this move in the first place? As it turns out, starting backstop Willson Contreras is heading to the IL with a foot injury.
Willson going to IL with a strain of the arch muscle on his right foot. MRI revealed a strain. Medical staff said playing on it could make it worse. Don't expect it to be longer than 10 days.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) July 16, 2019
If the Cubs fancy themselves contenders, they won't be standing pat after this deal. But if this is what it takes to get the ball rolling, so be it. July has arrived! Let's get cracking.