Padres acquire RHP Yu Darvish in blockbuster trade with Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — The aggressive San Diego Padres traded for another big arm on Tuesday night, acquiring Yu Darvish in a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Cubs.

The Padres got Darvish, catcher Victor Caratini and cash from the Cubs for right-hander Zach Davies and four young minor leaguers. The switch-hitting Caratini caught Darvish in Chicago and batted .241 with 16 RBIs last season.

Davies went 7-4 with a 2.73 ERA in 12 starts for San Diego this year. The package of prospects headed to Chicago includes Owen Caissie, an 18-year-old outfielder who was selected by the Padres in the second round of this year's amateur draft.

The 34-year-old Darvish was 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts for Chicago during the pandemic-shortened season, finishing second in the NL Cy Young Award race. He has three years and $59 million left on the $126 million, six-year deal he signed with the Cubs before the 2018 season.

San Diego also completed a big trade Tuesday with Tampa Bay for ace left-hander Blake Snell. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner was sent from the Rays to the Padres for a package of four players: right-handers Luis Patiño and Cole Wilcox, and catchers Francisco Mejía and Blake Hunt — all well-regarded youngsters from a San Diego system that’s been stocking the farm for years.

The Padres made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2006, but their injury-depleted rotation was in shambles when the postseason arrived. They beat St. Louis in the first round before they were swept in three Division Series games by their NL West rivals, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mike Clevinger, acquired from Cleveland in August, isn’t expected back from Tommy John surgery until 2022, but the Padres have other quality starters in Dinelson Lamet and Chris Paddack. Left-hander MacKenzie Gore is one of...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Padres-acquire-RHP-Yu-Darvish-in-deal-with-Cubs-15835279.php