For most of the season, the Chicago Cubs have just been trying to finish strong and be ready for the 2023 season. There are a lot of high hopes as they enter the offseason but there is plenty of work to be done with the roster.
The Cubs had a mostly underwhelming trade deadline as they didn’t trade any of their big trade chips. However, they made one move that might really help them going forward. That involved a deal with the New York Yankees.
Chicago traded Scott Effross to the Yankees which made a lot of people wonder why. He was a great reliever with them this season and has control left on his current contract. However, it is now looking like a really smart deal for the Chicago Cubs.
In the deal, the Cubs got RHP Hayden Wesneski in return. Since coming to the Cubs, he has been magnificent as both a starter and a reliever. The Yankees traded some future help for help in the present but really this kid could have helped them too.
The Chicago Cubs saw Hayden Wesneski have a great outing on Thursday.
On Thursday, Wesneski went 6.1 innings pitched where he allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. It was a very nice start for him as his ERA is now down to 2.45. He also has a very nice WHIP of 0.82 and has 24 strikeouts over 22.0 innings.
The highlight of his night was the fact that he threw an immaculate inning. Using nine pitches, he struck out the side. That is one of the rarest instances in Major League Baseball as it is incredibly hard to do. It was one of the many elite innings that he had that allowed the Cubs to win. He became the 5th player in Chicago Cubs history to ever do that.
The Chicago Cubs needed an inning like this against the Pittsburgh Pirates so they can preserve their one-run lead for another inning. The Pirates aren’t that great at all but the Cubs can’t say they’ve been much better for the most part.
Now, moving forward, Wesneski needs to keep working. It isn’t always going to come that easy which is why his development going forward is key. He is proving that with a good offseason and showing in spring training, he can be a part of the staff in 2023.
Sometimes, it is the little moves that you make at the trade deadline that can set you up for success. Adding a very nice young pitcher is going to be a big help for the Cubs if he continues to pitch well.
