A continuing series examining past Cubs trades, and whether they moved the needle to creating a winning team.
The Epstein/Hoyer Rebuild – Year 3
Introduction: https://cubsin7.blog/2025/04/09/who-won-the-trade/
Epstein/Hoyer rebuild year 1: https://cubsin7.blog/2025/04/16/who-won-the-trade-part-2/
Epstein/Hoyer rebuild year 2: https://cubsin7.blog/2025/05/14/who-won-the-trade-part-3/
When trying to rebuild a team, it is much easier to “win trades”. Typically, these teams are trading decent players without much control for players with the potential to do well. But the trades of the Hoyer/Epstein era seem to have been particularly fruitful. It will be interesting to see a comparison with the trades of the recent Hoyer rebuild.
In researching these traders, the time gap between trades at the end of the deadline in 2013 to the beginning of the deadline in 2014 is amazing
Date: July 5, 2014
Cubs trade: Jason Hammel (0.0) and Jeff Samardjia (1.8)
Athletics trade: Addison Russell (11.7) and Billy McKinney (0.0) and Dan Straily (-0.9)
WAR comparison: Cubs 10.8 – Athletics 1.8 (Cubs +9.0)
Intangibles: The A’s lost in the Wild Card in 2014 in a 12-inning game. Hammel was only 2-6 with a 4.26 ERA. Samardjia was much better with a 1.8 WAR and 3.14 ERA in 16 starts for the A’s, and was then traded to the White Sox for a package including Marcus Semien (20.0 WAR) and Chriss Bassit (9.9 WAR). So ultimately, the A’s may have actually won the trade by what they got for Samardjia. McKinney never played in the majors for the Cubs, but was part of the Aroldis Chapman trade. Addison Russell hit 2 home runs in the 2016 NLDS and a grand slam in game 6 of the world series. And Straily was part of another trade that brough the Cubs Dexter Fowler.
Analysis: The was a very good trade for the Cubs, as Hammel returned as a free agent the following year. However, the A’s turned lemons into lemonade, by flipping Samardjia to the White Sox. But everything is clouded by the legacy of Addison Russell – who ultimately had a very disappointing tenure with the Cubs. He was great defensively and showed lots of potential as a hitter. But everything imploded in 2018 and 2019: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28213854/cubs-offer-addison-russell-contract-two-years-controversy
The Cubs has several young players that were part of that 2016 core that never quite lived up to the expected potential, but Russell may have been the most disappointing, both on and off the field. He is still playing baseball professionally in Mexico.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11177585/chicago-cubs-trade-jeff-samardzija-jason-hammel-oakland-athletics
Date: June 11, 2014
Cubs trade: Darwin Barney (0.8)
Dodgers trade: Jonathan Martinez (0.0)
WAR comparison: Dodgers 0.8 – Cubs 0.0 (Cubs -0.8)
Intangibles: Barney hit very well in a half season for the Dodgers, helping them get to the playoffs, where they lost in the division series — although he was left off the postseason roster.
Analysis: Barney had a decent few years with the Cubs, including a 4.6 WAR and gold glove in 2012. He managed to have a couple decent years with the Blue Jays after leaving L.A., including some postseason at bats.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11277141/chicago-cubs-trade-darwin-barney-los-angeles-dodgers
Date: July 31, 2014
Cubs trade: Emilio Bonifacio (-0.3) and Jeff Russell (0.6)
Braves trade: Victor Caratini (1.1)
WAR comparison: Cubs 1.1 – Braves 0.3 (Cubs +0.8)
Intangibles: The Braves finished 2nd in the NL East in 2014. Caratini was part of the Yu Darvish trade to the Padres, when the Cubs were shedding salary post-Covid.
Analysis: Caratini turned out to be a decent player for the Cubs, while Russell and Bonifacio did not provide much for the Braves. We will revisit him when we get to the Darvish trade.
https://africa.espn.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/11292420/chicago-cubs-send-james-russell-emilio-bonifacio-atlanta-braves-prospect
Date: November 16, 2014
Braves trade: Tommy La Stella (1.3)
Cubs trade: Aroldys Vizcaino (3.9)
WAR comparison: Braves 3.9 – Cubs 1.3 (Cubs -2.6)
Intangibles: La Stella, who was a favorite of Joe Maddon, was a good hitter. Unfortunately, this did not translate to the postseason, where he was 0 for 16 with 1 walk with the Cubs. Vizcaino was an effective closer for the Braves for a few seasons, but was often injured. He had 2 postseason appearances in 2018, in a series the Braves lost to the Dodgers.
Analysis: These were two players who never quite lived up to expectations. La Stella never really found a position, while Vizcaino could never stay healthy.
https://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/28094/cubs-trade-for-braves-if-la-stella
Date: December 9, 2014
Cubs trade: Zack Godley (2.6) and Jefferson Mejia (0.0)
Diamondbacks trade: Miguel Montero (1.5)
WAR comparison: Diamondbacks 2.6 – Cubs 1.5 (Cubs -1.1)
Intangibles: Godley pitched in one playoff game for the DBacks in 2017, when they were swept in the NLDS. Montero lost playing time to David Ross and Willson Contreras, but hit a huge home run in game 1 of the NLDS in 2016.
Analysis: The Montero acquisition, along with some free agent signings, was one of the first indicators that the Cubs were coming out of rebuild mode and moving toward trying to win. He soured on the Cubs as he lost playing time to Ross and Contreras. Godley had a few solid seasons as a starter for the Diamondbacks.
https://www.espn.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/12005960/chicago-cubs-get-miguel-montero-arizona-diamondbacks-two-pitchers
Date: January 19, 2014
Cubs trade: Dan Straily (-0.1) and Luis Valbuena (4.9)
Astros trade: Dexter Fowler (6.3)
WAR comparison: Cubs 6.3 – Astros 4.8 (Cubs +1.5)
Intangibles: This trade worked pretty well for both team – but better for the Cubs. Valbuana hit25 hoers in 2015, helping the Astros to the Wild Card game, which they won before being knocked out by the royals in the ALDS. His slash line in those games was not great, at .176/.333/.353. Fowler helped get the Cubs get to the playoffs in 2015, and then came back as a free agent in 2016 to take them to the promised land. His leadoff home run in game 7 will not be forgotten.
Analysis: The Cubs had grabbed Valbuena off waivers from the Blue Jays, so getting Fowler for him was quite a coup. Fowler gave the Cubs the leadoff man they were looking for – and they have had struggles replacing ever since he left.
https://www.espn.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/12193462/houston-astros-trading-outfielder-dexter-fowler-chicago-cubs
Updated Scorecard:
Gained WAR: 107.6
Lost WAR: 28.5
NET: +79.1
So, purely from trades, over 3 years the Cubs added the following pieces to the 2016 Championship:
-Jake Arrieta
-Kyle Hendricks
-Anthony Rizzo
-Dexter Fowler
-Pedro Strop
-Addison Russell
-Miguel Montero
This has to be one of the best stretches of winning trades in the history of baseball. But as the Cubs transitioned from a “rebuild” to a “win now” mentality, were going to see some big differences.
The next era will include the trades between the beginning of the 2015 season all the way to the sell-off in 2021.
Cubs in 7 
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