The Cubs snuck in a last-minute stunner, working out a deal with the Tigers for Nicholas Castellanos, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). Paul Richan and Alex Lange are headed to Detroit in return, per Craig Mish of MLB Network (via Twitter).
Castellanos is earning $9.5MM this year before reaching the open market at season’s end. The Tigers will pick up approximately $500K of the $3MM left of Castellanos’ salary, per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic.
The Cubs will add a good bit of offensive pop in this move, creating some additional possibilities in their outfield mix. It’s not immediately clear how the club will deploy its newly numerous group of options, having also acquired Tony Kemp earlier today, but odds are Castellanos will be in the lineup against all southpaws and a fair number of righty hurlers as well.
Through 439 plate appearances of regular action this year for the Tigers, Castellanos carries a .273/.328/.462 batting line with 11 home runs. He has been inconsistent for much of the season, ramping things up after a slow start but falling off again more recently.
Richan and Lange are each recent top draft picks who could be MLB options in the relatively near future. While the Tigers are laden with pitching prospect depth, it never hurts to have more arms. Richan has been at the High-A level all year, where he’s through 93 innings of 3.97 ERA ball with 8.3 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9. Lange carries a 5.82 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 in 86 2/3 innings on the season, split between High-A and Double-A.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Lol and his poor defense
That genius Madden will have him in RF and Schwarber in LF and then will look baffled when they lose the game.
I think you are correct
Paul you obviously don’t watch any Cubs game if you think Schwarber is a poor fielder these days. Get with the program, he has been solid this year and last year.
Preach! He’s got a hoseeee
Statcast still grades him as a below average outfielder although he has improved. He isn’t awful anymore.
Baseball Reference has him -.8 WAR defensively. Which is improvement I guess.
Easy now, Maddon will say it was the right decision but the wrong outcome . As a Cub fan I’ve heard this broken record by him way to many times . Get Girardi next year please
Get the heck out of here with this Girardi nonsense.
Agreed! Girardi will be the skipper next year. The front office is over this up and down every other day nonsense
Girardi is among the most unlikely candidates to become manager. Even if Madden is gone, which I hope he’s not, the front office wants someone who is going to listen to them. Girardi left New York because the front office was tried of him trying to do things his own way. Girardi is literally the opposite of what they’ll probably get. It’ll be a guy in the mold of an A.J. Hinch, who will do exactly what the front office wants. And for what it’s worth, Joe Madden is literally probably the best manager in the game.
Which means you haven’t ever actually watched a team managed by Joe Girardi.
Literally probably….lol
You made a very good argument and then undercut your point with the use of literally.
Lol yeah rough grammar… meant to take literally out… but posted from app do can’t. You busted me lol
So can’t
Joe Maddon couldn’t hold Bruce bochy jock strap. Keep dreaming.
Bencole that comment is literally probably the funniest comment I have seen today.
Agreed
He’ll be a platoon guy, and get removed late game for defense.
Won’t make a difference. His bat will offset any defensive deficiency. Just wait and see. You won’t be laughing when his outs at Comerica end up in the seats at Wrigley.
We got Tony Kemp too. Another .227 leadoff hitter?
That was just a body for a body
Howie, I know. Just a jab at Joe M.
Cool.
Are the Cardinals sleeping? So far we have not made a single move today.
They worked out a major trade with Jedd Gyorko.
Major
lol they may think it as a major move. No farm system, all the Cards can do is FA.
Uh,,,,not sure if you know what baseball is, but that is far from true. They have plenty of talent in the minors.
2 Top 100 prospects
Certainly not 2 top 100 prospects. 16 and 23 in cubs system.
Few managements pay attention to the top 100 projections.
Lol prospects list isn’t worth much…example of people who weren’t on the prospect list for the cardinals…Mercado, voit, Dejong…example of people on the prospect list for the cardinals…Wong, O’Neill, Bader
They’re in 1st place. They don’t have to do anything.
So are the cubs
The Cubs are a game behind and fading fast.
Cardinal fans would know about fading fast…..Cards started in Sept of 2015 and have never looked back. Kinda like wearing a 2-ton anchor..
No one is running away in that division.
They are now tied for first.
Which one would you make? Please list out moves and potential guys traded and I’d be happy to discuss.
Martinez
Robbie Ray!
Nice.
Ok
huge!!
I was hoping they didn’t acquire Castellanos.
that is dumb, he is going to rack hitting in that lineup.
You mean rack bats, when hitters are done using them. Refill the seed racks too, mayhaps mud the game balls.
BULL! A corner outfielder with no power…… waste of a roster spot.
No power? what?
He leads the league in doubles.
Not only leading league in doubles a lot of his doubles would have went out in wriggly
and we didnt even have to give up Matt Garza!
<3
This guy…
Dumpster Divin’ Theo!
Enjoy Colome’s regression to the mean. Now don’t come back until the offseason. We’re done with you guys until then.
How about the regression of that whole team since 16!!!
Some regression 187 wins, playoffs both years and a division title..yeah they just fell apart lol
Burn, lolol
All that talent only to win 1 title. Lucky to even win that one despite Maddens best effort to lose game 7.
Oh these poor W Sox fans, no choice but to obsess over the Cubs. They couldn’t even flip Colome for anything?!? Wasted deadline for a team that’s been rebuilding since 2011
“Arbitration year”
Nick RAKES against lefties it’s a great non major move. Dodgers are loaded with them so this could help IF they gave them in the postseason.
And Chi-311 give me a break as usual! Just go watch your pathetic team for once will ya? I know Giolito can’t beat the Cubs in three tries but he’s still semi good to watch isn’t he? Cease is awesome too right? Oh yeah shoot sorry he’s done nothing but crap the bed. Uh well watch Kopech maybe he’s exciting? Oh darn I forgot our for the year. Um Eloy? Well when he isn’t going on the IL for hurting his funny bone trying to catch a baseball he’s strong. That’s something. Colome? He is so insanely awesome you couldn’t even trade him. There you go Alex and I guess the player nobody values other than Hahn in Abreu. Go watch and support those “stars” will ya?
Oh yeah and of course Giolito- just don’t go during the Crosstown Classic ‘cause man that guy wilts under pressure!
Pressure? Pressure is playing in game #163. Remember?
Yeah you’re right and they lost. But they’re in position to go ahead and get to the postseason for the 5th season in a row. They sure handled the pressure down 3-1 in the World Series didn’t they? Got to NLCS the year before and after the World Series title. Flamed out last year. Not the favorites by any stretch this year but rather likely to get to the playoffs yet again.
Unlike 2005 World Series champs who didn’t make the playoffs in 2003 or 2004 or 2006 or 2007. Got your title hurray for you and your fellow Sox fans. I prefer the Cubs trend of nothing but playoffs here lately.
Flapping on and on about a team you play against uselessly 4-6 times a year… I know the (Enter Sponsor Here) Cup means so much to all Cubs fans but can’t we just all agree that the Cardinals are the real enemy here?
I’m a Cub fan who finally found a Sox fan I’m in complete agreement with. Thank you, sir.
09
Lmao!! Cubs fans salty as hell for decimating the farm for…… well I guess you can call that a pitching staff.
Pressure? You haven’t known pressure since 2005
Call me when one of the Sox great prospects makes an all star game Or gets you to the playoffs. At least Tatis looks like a future super star, oops he’s on the Padres
Well, you’ve got that just about right. So much for ballyhooed prospects. You’ve forgotten to point out, however, how the team took several huge rebuild moves recently when they added, Ryan Goins, A.J. Reed, and Jimmy Cordero to the 25-man roster. Surely these moves will compensate for the failure of prospects to live up to the hype.
The move to trade Tatis for James F’n Sheild THEN proceed to lose more games than teams ACTIVELY tanking. The W Sox(everyone knows the “Sox” is Boston) have been rebuilding w/ one of the worst records in baseball since 2011…. hahaha, it’s so telling that any time anything Cubs gets posted that W Sox fans are littered throughout in the comments. Poor obsessed saps… haha
Oh goodness is my writing that illegible? I guess so. I could give a rat’s behind about the crosstown whatever it’s called- just like making fun of Giolito who has happened to crap the bed against the Cubs.
Sure I guess the Cards are the enemy. No offense “themed” but not really too scared of your team though. What improvements did they make today? Oh yeah zilch. And Brewers? My god Stearns get a pair and make a move. Your starters are hurt and who’s left a joke.
Honestly the Cubs enemy is themselves. Unfortunately they’re their own worst enemy lately.
oh little bryzzo….you must be 12 or you are just one dumb fan.
Sorry Dew you must be new here. Bryzzo is a Cubs fan but the “dumb fans” are the White Sox insecure guys who post more on a Cubs post than a White Sox post. I won’t even look and I know I’m right- a story just posted about Moncada and I bet there are more “Sox” poster names on this story than that one.
Translation: Please notice me.
Did the Cubs make a trade with the Sox that I missed????
Unless you missed Hahn FLEECE Theo 2 years ago, no you haven’t
Cease hasn’t been that impressive and Jimenez can be replaced . He has been injured in minors with cubs and now with white Sox . He isn’t in the Hall of Fame just yet
Cease looks like a back end guy and Eloy already on IL twice and trending towards a strike out and hr guy. I’ll reserve judgement for a couple years but Quintana is looking better and better
Jimenez might end up at Soler 2.0
If he’s lucky. He better step it up.
Almost got mad for a minute. Good job Al Avila!
Greine to Houston
Damnnnnit! That rotation tho…
This helps, but the Bullpen was the bigger issue.
Naw bruh, the cubs needed more offense. Replacing Almora with his toothpick for a bat improves their run production, but I doubt he makes much of a difference overall. Had they landed Merrifield + Castellanos (or better), the cubs would have put themselves back in contention. As things stand right now, I don’t see them making the playoffs.
They’re a game out with the easiest remaining schedule of the 3 contending teams.They might not make the playoffs, but they’re still the odds on favorite to win the central.
What?
Because everyone should lineup for your informed takes…
Both were/are major issues, but the offense has scored 14 runs in the team’s last 5 losses.
they did something to address their lame offense. it’ll be interesting to see who they traded…
It just seems like it can’t be much for a poor defender with a little bit above average bat who is only a rental.
Well, our 2nd round pick from 2018 and 1st round pick from 2017. Lange has struggled, but Richan has looked okay. I’ll pass on this one.
@ matt See Daniel Murphy last year
It doesn’t look like they gave up very much
Read the article!
wish you all the best Nick
I was just going to say Cubs, Brewers, and Cards traded around the margins
And you are still right
defensive replacement for Schwarber!
Hahaha comment of the day Mets!!!!!
^clearly hasn’t watched a game since the 2015 playoffs
Last game I watched was #163
Just so there’s no confusion, I replied to nymetsking. There’s no reason for anyone to take your low-IQ Southside comments seriously.
“Hi, dis is ChiTown from Back of Da Yards…. Die hard Bears, Hawks and Sox fan, I wanna know what’s the chances Trubinski plays against da Broncos, I’ll hang up and listen, oh and Cubs suck!”
True, Schwarber isnt the butcher he’s made out to be and that his worst defensive gaffes come on national television – but hes still, at best, below average in the field. So if someone wants to make a joke about it, then just laugh…
read the stats FOOL.
They’re not not gonna win any gold gloves in LF , but between him and Schwarber, there’s gonna be a lot of bombs hit in the next 2 months.
lol,Nick Castellanos has been called a lot of things but “defensive replacement” isn’t one of em!
That’s a professional bat. They needed it
lol.
The Cubs finally made a sizable move. While I like the other moves they made, I think this needed to happen.
Well, i guess if the bullpen can’t pitch their way out of.a paper bag, you better get a guy that can score some runs. Maybe a 5 run lead will help.
what does that even mean? If you were in a paper bag… and you tried to pitch your way out of it, youd still be stuck in that paper bag.
You’re supposed to throw a hole through the paper bag and then crawl out of the hole. But the guy above you says the bullpen can’t do that. Oh well.
Wonder who we had to give up
a lot
Read the article
You keep saying this. Is this your first time on this website? They update articles as more information comes out. When people post comments wondering about who is in a trade, it’s because the article hadnt yet been updated with that information when the comment was posted.
Tigers fans can now retire their pie in the sky hopes and dreams they had on a Shane Greene and Nick Castellanos trade. Hopefully they don’t rag on Avila for the deal because he did alright in both trades. Neither one was bringing back premium talent.
to get a 2018 2nd round pick and 2017 1st round pick (both pitchers) for 1/2 a year of Castellanos is not bad at all.
1 pitcher,1 outfielder
uhhh no, Richan and Lange are both pitchers
Nope, both pitchers
u r correct,my apologies y the bad info
That’s what I’m saying, Matt. There were more than a few Tigers fans who believed they were going to get much more than that for those guys. Were also pretty adamant about not needing anymore pitchers in the system.
Now, both these guys were underslot college draft picks so draft position is only so important here but it’s still a decent return for Castellanos. There wasn’t going to be anymore than this coming back.
Amaya… they thought Castellanos would net them a top 5 catching prospect.
while I seen those posts also I’m of the mind of asking anyway.whats the worst that will happen? you hear “no” that’s it
A better return than JBigz expected and predicted.
Lol reality hit you hard?
agreed! from getting 0 at end of year to 2 lottery tix I say Al did “ok”
If you look at what AA has done since he took over the team 4 years ago is great. Shed a hundred million is payroll, turn a bottom 5 farm into the 8th.
It’s not his fault they didn’t have a 2011 and 2012 first round draft pick which should be in the prime now.
Any move will help
Yep I knew they weren’t getting back premium talent.
2018 2nd round pick and a 2017 1st rounder they got good value
Lol ok bud whatever u say
Platoon with Schwarber and Heyward….would have preferred Dyson or someone who could play CF.
You would have preferred jarrod Dyson to Nicholas Castellanos??
Dyson is a light-hitting outfielder with speed. Kemp is a light-hitting outfielder/infielder with speed. Once they got Kemp, there was no need for Dyson. And FWIW, neither are difference making talents.
Heyward’s going to CF and Castellanos is going to RF.
Alex Lange is a boom or bust prospect and Paul Richan looks to be a solid back end starter. Not a bad haul for the Tigers honestly.
Yeah, Lange and Richan have low ceilings, but I believe both will make it to the bigs and contribute. Not a bad haul at all for a rebuilding team that wasn’t gonna re-sign Castellanos anyway.
Well said. I agree.
We gave up virtually nothing and he kills lefty’s. Solid move.
Yeah, definitely a good pick up. A proven stud bat is exactly what they needed.
“Stud Bat” is exactly the phrase that comes to mind when I think of ….ahem…Nick Castellanos.
I’m not even a Cubs fan and stud bat might be pushing it but Castellanos is a very solid, middle of the order bat. He gets a bad rap because of his defense, not his bat. He can rake. Put aside your Cubs hatred and try to be objective
All Sux fans have is hatred.
Envy, it’s no coincidence that ANYTHING Cubs related gets littered with Northwest Indiana White Sux fans, haha
The guy is an over rated weak hitting corner outfielder. He’ll be on the bench beside Descalso in two weeks.
Oh yeah you nailed it- batting .372 against lefties this season which is what he was signed for – that sure is crap. Can’t see why that could help.
Dear lord. Putz.
yeah.wait till ol stone hands let’s one fall in RF or wherever! now we don’t gotta watch him walk around with a sour puss everyday
Two more pitchers! I don’t understand.
of course
A much needed vet bat, very nice get! He rakes in Detroit, excited to see what he does in a park like Wrigley. Well done Theo!!
“Stud Bat” is the term I was going to use
lol you’ll think so when he can’t catch a cold in your outfield! and he wears a sour puss everyday
1. LF is literally the least valuable position on the field. I’ve seen the Cubs play pitchers in LF…
2. No one but you cares about a players facial expressions.
If I had to play for Detroit I would be a sour puss too. He’s also being thrown into a pennant race on a winning ball club so I’m pretty sure that’ll change his mindset. And I’m a Brewers fan.
lol.
I don’t think the Cubs gave up much and the Tigers have 2 guys who may or may not pan out for a guy that was on his way out anyway and they saved some money. Tigers are going nowhere soon and the Cubs are a win now team. Really a win win. Castelannos/Schwarber/Almora off the bench late in the game sounds good to me. Heyward better stretch those knees out, he has some work in the outfield ahead of him.
Schwarber off the bench? Not sure if it is smart to make a perennial 30-40 homer .800ops hitter a bench player.
The Dude abides man.
Very good addition and no one off current roster moved. This guy can hit. Could he possibly go back to third base and Bryant moves to outfield?
Averages 20 homers, .275 average. Kills left handers. I like this move.
This means that Bryant will be playing 3rd everyday. kemp and Bote platoon at second. Kyle and Nick platoon in left. Happ and Almora platoon in center.
Ha, ha, Schwarber in LF!
Do a little homework, knucklehead.
Looks like Robel will be optioned to make room for Castellanos,
very good call
Could be a sleeper hit. Either way it’s up to the core to perform.
Wow terrible return even for a rental. Richan is not even given a grade by fangraphs and lange got a 40 rating which means bench piece at best.
Great deal by Epstein, he gave up nothing for an impact bat.
You can say that again.
This is what rental bats cost. personally, I’d have preferred Dickerson. Hes a better fielder with better contact skills. he was traded for money today because non-elite rental bats dont bring back much.
He’s a left hander. They needed someone who hits right handers.
Wow terrible return even for a rental. Richan is not even given a grade by fangraphs and lange got a 40 rating which means bench piece at best.
Great deal by Epstein, he gave up nothing for an impact bat.
You can say that.. again?
I lol’d
.347 BA and 1.026 OPS against lefties
Who in the hell is Alex Lange. 23rd ranked prospect??!! Position players Avila you freaking moron!!
what did you think he was going to get for a rental player?
You are crazy.
The end of “Tigers trying to trade Castellanos” posts may affect mlbtr’s business model
No problem. The Brewers got the equalizer, Jordan Lyles
Read this in the srticle
Could be a rib eye machine for Cubs.
^^^^ Haha cubs fan hoping for a Filet but gets a rib eye in Castellanos
Another bravely written gem from a white sux ankle biter
Ribeyes are the best steak anyway.
3 starting pitchers? Really? WE NEED POSITIONAL PLAYERS AVILA! And they just gave this idiot an extension? Wow, Tigers all the way… in 2036!
You have no idea what you are talking about.
AA has had 4 1st round draft picks that make up 3 of their top 4 best prospects.
He shed a hundred million in payroll
Their farm system is now ranked 8th
You aren’t getting top prospects for Greene or Nick; your expectations are stupid.
Just jump back onto the bandwagon when it rolls aground again.
SMH
Every trade/FA signing is a good pickup in cubbie land.
Not all of us are lucky enough to have been born cheering for a team like the Sox… a team that traded a player today for no other reason than because they wanted cash.
And refused to give in to the trade demands of others regarding the marginally decent Colome. No- way to stick to your guns Hahn. Aw crap wait what? He’s still on the White Sox? And gave up 3 runs in the 9th? Son of a gun. I thought we’d be relevant by 2021- maybe pushing that back by 3 to 4 seasons is more accurate. 2025! .500 for the White Sox baby!
Tigers fans who are complaining need to settle down. Your emotional connection to Greene and Castellanos did not increase their trade value. AA got market value. You can never have enough pitching. Demeritte’s AAA stats are legit. I think he’ll get a shot in Detroit now
The last couple of years their biggest pitching issue has been their offense. In ‘16 the BP wasn’t great. They just scored so many runs that nobody noticed. Castellanos will help.
Good last minute pick up by the Scrubs…Bauer, Castillo and Gray will be waiting for you…
Anyone want Miguel Cabrera now?
I think the Tigers simply gave Nick Castellanos away. He will hit well in Chicago. Paul Richan and Alex Lange look like potential prospect starters at this point.
Don’t get the hype on Nick C. Career .274/.324 outfielder that has averaged 16 HRs a season. Eclipsed 100 RBIs once in 7 seasons. Poor defense.
*Does* hit a ton of doubles (Detroit is a huge ballpark, so maybe those doubles would yield HRs at Wrigley). I dunno. Not seeing this move as a huge benefit for the Cubs.
They gave up garbage for a rental bat that hammers left-handed pitching.
You are out to lunch.
When the Cubs miss the playoffs this year the front office won’t take the blame even though it is but Maddon will be the fall guy! The Cubs’ bullpen is their weak link yet the issue is not addressed. I understand the Cubs’ farm system is weak right now but trading way potential bullpen help down the road for a bat does not make sense there are going to be major changes in the offseason.
The bullpen will be better especially after kimbrel gets away from what is basically spring training. Have you not see how the offense goes through periods where it can’t score at all? the block hole in second and the outfield didn’t help it all and this helps change that plus he got some bullpen help. Now as a Cubs fan and as much as I like Madden he has been an issue. From not letting starters go longer mainly Hendricks for some reason. His odd line up choices or how someone gets smoking hot and then they don’t play for two or three days? The man makes no sense sometimes. Don’t get me wrong the front office is to blame a little but they were also had ownership restrictions they had to deal with. Now with all the money coming off the books in the next two off seasons, the Cubs will be fine will maddon be at the helm I really don’t think he will be. Hell he tried to lose the world series with his curious choices especially in game 7. The team just needs to play up the talent and actually win a road game once and a while and they will be fine. The cards didn’t do anything and what the Brewers did is actually laughable.
The Cardinals and the Brewers not doing anything is not a bad thing for them. This was a weak trade deadline. Grienke was going to be moved but all depended what team wanted to take on his contract. One of the biggest things is the last two months is getting hot at the right time.
He can’t be that inconsistent if he leads the league in doubles.
Cubbies fans will like Castellanos
Cubs and Tigers fan here. Bottom line, Cubs fans, is that Castellanos will hit. He’s been a bit pouty this year, knowing that the Tigers are going nowhere. I expect him to improve his focus and have better at bats. He’ll get better pitches too, as teams won’t pitch around him. Tigers fans – I know that we can use some bats, but gotta take best offer on the table. This return is reasonable and better than the JD deal by far. Win/Win for both clubs.
Way too early to call this better than the JD deal, but I agree with you that Nick will step it up in Chicago and that at least they got something for him
A good move for both teams. The Cubs needed to add another hitter especially with their struggles against lefties. He has his limitations but I have the feeling the Cubs will find a way to hide him to the best of their ability. The Tigers pick up a few young highly drafted pitchers and based on what has happened with former Cubs players traded at the deadline they will make an impact for them sooner than later.
But the other players were high ranked prospects. These are not. They are Back end prospects. You’ll be lucky to see either in the MLB other than invite to spring training.
Lange was supposed to be good but his velocity is down and he has control problems.
I get it that the prospects in the JD trade were higher ranked prospects, but was basing my comment on JD>Nick.
Anyone who’s complaining or making fun of his poor defense doesn’t know what they’re talking about. I love great defense, and great defensive players, in fact I (like most) can tend to overvalue it. His defensive shortcomings won’t matter when he’s hitting bombs in Wrigley. Fact of the matter is offense, no matter how unfortunate it is, is more valuable than defense, especially in an already good defensive lineup and an outfield that deploys, the defensively fantastic Almora, Heyward, and an improved Schwarber. He should no doubt improve this team. Cubbies did well here.
He’ll also receive a hell of a lot more protection in this lineup and will see good pitches, dude can rake.